Founded by Wilf Mbanga in 2005, it was edited in London and printed in South Africa, near the border with Zimbabwe.

He was eventually acquitted, but was banned by the government, and Mbanga was declared an "Enemy of the People".

[3] With monetary assistance from the European Union, Mbanga founded The Zimbabwean, a newspaper featuring stories provided by in-country correspondents, edited in London, and printed in South Africa, close to the Zimbabwean border.

However, in June 2008, the country's government re-classified the newspaper as a luxury, imposing a 55% tax on its import from South Africa.

[9] The campaign was launched in March 2009, using politically charged slogans and outdoor advertising, and became successful immediately[10] both in Southern Africa[11] and internationally.