Kitale is an agricultural town that produces vast quantities of maize, wheat, and dairy products.
 
"It was still raining when I left on the 7:30 am bus next morning for Kitale, but had stopped by the time I was dropped off at the start of the short track to the Youth Hostel, about six miles south of the town. The hostel, on part of a small farm, comprised of the wardens house and a number of small outbuildings each with 4 beds and a washroom. The wardens sitting room also being open as a common room. I stayed 3 nights and being the only guest was served good food, eating the evening meals with the wardens who made me feel very much at home.  
On my first day I made a trip into Kitale, in it’s main street, shaded by an avenue of large eucalyptus trees, was a busy market and I found it an easy going and most colourful rural town.
My main purpose for the visit was to enquire about transport on towards Lake Turkana, my next objective, and was told there would be some empty fish trucks returning to the lake in two days that I could travel with." - MH