The information ministry in Zimbabwe has insisted that journalists must have a licence to work despite a directive by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity is in Zanu-PF hands and it has chosen to directly defy an order by Tsvangirai.

The prime minister raised the hopes of reporters this week when he said foreign and local journalists did not need to have press cards.

He said the notorious Media and Information Commission, headed by Zanu-PF?s Tafataona Mahoso, no longer had a mandate.

On Saturday the information ministry told all reporters they would be required to apply for press cards from the commission and if journalists intend to cover the Comesa Summit next week foreigners will have to pay up to R2000.

The battle for a free press in Zimbabwe is not over yet and it is being fought at the highest levels.