Journalists in Kitui have been trained and mobilised to fight the arbitrary slaughter of donkeys and the illegal trade in the hides across the county.
The scribes on Monday underwent a capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening their knowledge and skills in reporting animal welfare issues, particularly the plight of donkeys.
The training was organised through a partnership between Brooke East Africa (BEA) and the Media Council of Kenya.
BEA communication manager Cynthia Ogana said the training was intended to equip journalists with the knowledge and tools to tell compelling stories that raise awareness about animal welfare and influence positive change.
She said BEA had previously trained journalists in Nairobi and Naivasha through its partnership with MCK, but recent reports of increased donkey slaughter in Kitui prompted the organisation to hold the programme in the county.
She said the Kitui workshop was the third training undertaken since BEA and MCK began their partnership in 2024.
The initiative also provides storytelling grants to participating journalists to enable them to undertake impactful feature stories on animal welfare.
“We go beyond training. We give storytelling grants to journalists we have trained. Besides the grants, BEA also incentivises journalists by sponsoring an animal welfare category in the Annual Media Excellence Award ceremony,” Ogana said.
Florence Ndeti, the director of programmes at Kitui Caritas, hailed the initiative saying it will equip local journalists with new knowledge and perspectives to improve their reporting.
Kitui Caritas has partnered with BEA for years to protect donkeys and improve their welfare.
Ndeti expressed concern over the number of donkeys slaughtered in Kitui and the continued trade in their skins, saying one case involving hides remains active in court.
“Many have been slaughtered and the numbers are massive. We also have cases involving donkey skins that have been going on,” she said.
She urged journalists to embrace continuous learning and adapt to emerging trends to improve the quality, accuracy and objectivity of their reporting.
