A history of agriculture in the urbanization of Kitale, Kenya, 1850–2010

Abstract

This article examines the historical relationship between agricultural transformation and the urbanisation of Kitale, Kenya, between 1850 and 2010. It argues that Kitale's emergence and development as an urban centre were closely associated with successive transformations in agrarian relations, agricultural production, infrastructure and markets. The study adopted a historical research design and qualitative approach, drawing on archival records, oral interviews, focus group discussions, government reports and secondary literature. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify participants with relevant historical knowledge. The analysis was guided by the Articulation of Modes of Production Theory and Modernization Theory. The findings demonstrate that indigenous agricultural, pastoral and exchange systems provided the economic and settlement foundations for subsequent development. Colonial rule transformed this agrarian landscape through land alienation, settler agriculture, African labour relations and transport infrastructure. The opening of the railway to Kitale in 1926 strengthened its position as an agricultural and commercial centre. Following independence, land redistribution, the expansion of African commercial farming, agricultural support institutions and market development further stimulated urban growth. The study also reveals that agricultural transformation produced uneven outcomes, reflected in inequalities in access to land and productive resources, changing land-use patterns and increasing pressure on agricultural land. It concludes that agriculture was not merely an economic activity surrounding Kitale but a historical force that shaped its settlement patterns, commercial development, infrastructure and urban identity. The study contributes to understanding the historical relationship between agrarian transformation and the development of secondary urban centres in Kenya.