Molepolole

Molepolole is a town in the Kweneng District of Botswana, located about 50 kilometers west of Gaborone. It is one of the country’s largest traditional villages and serves as the traditional capital of the Bakwena, a Tswana-speaking people. The town functions as an administrative and cultural center for the Bakwena, hosting the Kgosi’s compound and the local kgotla for customary affairs.

The Bakwena established Molepolole as a centralized settlement in the 19th century, and the site has remained an important locus of Tswana governance and culture. The kgotla system continues to play a role alongside elected local structures. The crocodile totem Kwena is a common clan emblem, and Setswana is widely spoken, with English used in education and government.

Economy in Molepolole is anchored by a regional market, trade in agricultural produce, crafts, and services. The town is connected by tarred roads to Gaborone and other towns, with regular bus services linking it to the capital and beyond. It has health facilities, schools, and various commercial amenities that serve residents in the surrounding countryside.

Cultural life centers on traditional institutions, markets, and ceremonies. The royal kraal and related sites offer insight into Bakwena history and Tswana traditions, and the town remains an important hub for governance, education, and commerce in the region.