Kweneng District, Administrative district in southern Botswana.
Kweneng District is an administrative division in central Botswana, made up of the main town of Molepolole, smaller towns, villages, and open land. It sits at the center of the country and shares borders with more neighboring districts than any other in Botswana.
The Bakwena people settled in this region several centuries ago and established Molepolole as a main center of power. In the 1800s, Christian missionaries arrived and worked closely with local chiefs, a contact that changed religious life and left marks still visible in the town today.
The Bakwena people, whose name means "people of the crocodile," gave the district its name and their presence is still felt in the way villages are organized and in local ceremonies. In Molepolole, traditional family compounds sit alongside newer buildings, giving the town a layered look that reflects how local life has changed over generations.
Molepolole is easily reached from the capital Gaborone by road, but a sturdy vehicle is helpful for reaching smaller villages and more remote areas of the district. Road conditions and the availability of services can vary depending on how far you travel from the main towns.
The name Kweneng comes from the Setswana word for crocodile, which is the totem animal of the Bakwena people. A totem in this context is not a religious object but a mark of group identity, something that sets the Bakwena apart from other peoples across Botswana.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
