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Kundai Msemburi

Business Reporter
THE media should play a leading role in assisting the Government in efforts to attract local and foreign investment.

Speaking during a four-day workshop attended by local business and financial journalists in Kadoma, the facilitators took turns to stress the need for journalists to come up with compelling stories that draw interest of local and foreign investors as well as showcase the opportunities in the economy.

They said journalists need to change the narrative of reporting to aid economic decision making.

While admitting the economy was going through a rough patch, the facilitators felt there was a gap in terms of dissemination of critical investment information and sound debate of real economic issues in the media space.

“There is a need to change the narrative on reporting economic issues. Of course Zimbabwe has been going through a lot in the past and the narrative used to be that of gloom and doom,” said Mr Kundai Msemburi, an investment banker and head of corporate finance and market development at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ).

“There are a lot of positive developments in the financial markets and the listed firms, which reflects what is happening in the wider economy. Journalists need to be empowered to tell this story.”

He encouraged the media to abide by ethical reporting standards and desist from being used to satisfy biased interests at the expense of national good.

Mr Kenias Mafukidze, an experienced chartered accountant and consultant made a presentation on the approaches that journalists could employ when analysing financial statements.

“As reporters we need to tell a story that encourages people to invest as a way of transforming their lives. Unless we create a society that has an eye on investment we will have a problem as a country,” he said.

“Journalists need to report on those aspects that assist investors and decision making, those issues that assist growth of the economy by questioning value propositions and running away from reproducing the obvious.”

Business Weekly editor, Happiness Zengeni, also made a presentation on the role of the media in promoting capital markets.  She emphasised the need for media to fulfil its watchdog role and ensuring adherence to corporate governance by coming up with in-depth investigative stories.

SECZ organised the workshop, which drew participation of journalists from different media organisations in the country – print, broadcasting and online.

Surveillance and risk manager at SECZ, Mr Noel Mahombera took the gathering through and appreciation of the financial markets landscape in the country and highlighted critical areas that business and financial journalists could cover extensively.

Participants had the opportunity to discuss reporting trends and key concepts as well as conducting practical exercises on financial reporting. The workshop began on Monday and ended yesterday.