The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), which issues operating licences to media houses and accredits journalists working locally, has threatened to ban the Sunday Times and other foreign newspapers circulating in the country ahead of the next elections.

The threat to ban the Sunday Times, now popular with local readers, signals a renewed crackdown on the media.

In the past decade, journalists - including foreign correspondents - were arrested and deported and newspapers closed down for exposing President Robert Mugabe's leadership and policy failures.

ZMC chairman Godfrey Majonga said this week foreign newspapers circulating in the country would be banned unless they registered. He said he would use security forces to confiscate copies of the Sunday Times and other newspapers.

Government officials this week told the Sunday Times that Mugabe and Zanu-PF officials were rattled by the paper's coverage of local issues.

This is not the first time the authorities have been worked into a state of panic over the newspaper's coverage. Last year Mugabe's spin-doctors discussed banning this and other newspapers.

"This is a political issue because Mugabe's media advisers are worried, mainly about the Sunday Times. Last year they took to task the state-owned Zimpapers, asking why it was distributing a paper criticising the president," a government official said. "With the elections coming, Zanu-PF is unhappy with private newspapers' coverage and wants to go back to its draconian approach of muzzling the press."

Government has a monopoly of the airwaves and has been issuing new radio licences to its allies to maintain a grip on broadcasting. The state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, a Zanu-PF mouthpiece, dominates the airwaves. Majonga this week threatened to use Gestapo-style tactics by unleashing security forces to confiscate all foreign-owned newspapers to prevent them from entering the market.

The move could affect other South African titles such as the Mail & Guardian, Business Day and Financial Mail. SA's Independent Newspapers group titles also circulate in Zimbabwe, albeit inconsistently.

Dozens of South African and overseas magazines are also in circulation in the country.

However, local newspapers, including state-owned titles, are allowed to circulate in SA and other countries in the region without interference.

"We have passed a resolution to the effect of all newspapers targeting a Zimbabwean audience to register with us. If they fail to comply we will bar them from entering the country. We have written to them so if they fail to respond we will act," Majonga said.

Sunday Times editor Ray Hartley said: "We do not run an office in Zimbabwe and do not believe that the registration requirements apply to us.

"We wrote to the commission last year setting out our position but have yet to receive a response. We will continue to engage the commission on this matter. We comply with all the laws of Zimbabwe."

Majonga said the ZMC's main worry was that foreign newspapers which did not have offices in Zimbabwe would operate outside the regulatory constitutional body's control and thus become unaccountable in the process.