13 Jan 2026

The Vice President, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe, is expected to officially launch the Francistown City Tourism Initiative on January 24, an event aimed at highlighting the city’s unique blend of heritage, culture and scenic appeal.

Located in north-eastern Botswana, Francistown is a city steeped in history, shaped by the gold rush era and enriched by vibrant Tswana and Kalanga cultures.

Among the city’s key attractions is the Supa Ngwao Museum, which preserves and exhibits the history and cultural heritage of the region through traditional crafts, artefacts and historical displays.

Nature enthusiasts can explore the Tachila Nature Reserve, an 8 000-hectare wildlife sanctuary situated just outside the city, offering game drives, hiking trails and birdwatching opportunities.

The Tati River, which flows through Francistown, adds scenic beauty and provides opportunities for fishing and recreational activities such as beach volleyball.

Other notable attractions include the Domboshaba ruins, a 14th-century archaeological site, Nyangabgwe Hill which offers panoramic views of the city, and the Francistown City Mall, a modern shopping centre providing retail, dining and entertainment facilities.

Visitors can also immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant cultural life through events such as the Domboshaba Cultural Festival, the Business Botswana Trade Fair and Independence Day celebrations.

A unique feature of the city is the iconic Blue Jacket Street, a main thoroughfare stretching from the Kenneth Nkhwa Interchange to the Engen Total Filling Station.

The street derives its name from a white man who was often seen walking along the route wearing a distinctive blue jacket.Former Francistown mayor, Mr Iqbal Ibrahim, recalled that the man would walk the street every morning and returned in the evening, becoming a familiar figure to residents.

Another landmark is the Kenneth Nkhwa Interchange, a major infrastructural feature connecting the city to various parts of the country and beyond its borders.

“This is one landmark that we pride ourselves in,” said another former mayor of Francistown, Mr Godisang Radisigo.

Speaking on the tourism potential of the city, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, said Francistown had much to offer and required deliberate efforts to diversify its tourism product beyond wildlife.

He noted that the city’s reputation as a welcoming place was reinforced by its historical role in providing refuge to liberation leaders, including former Namibian presidents Dr Sam Nujoma, Dr Hage Geingob, Mr Hifikepunye Pohamba and Dr Nangolo Mbumba.

Mr Mmolotsi explained that these leaders, while en route to Zambia during the liberation struggle, would spend nights at a hall-like structure known as the “White House” in Blue Town, near the Phillip Matante International Airport.

He further revealed plans to revive the Francistown Educational Park by transforming it into a wildlife reserve, with the introduction of wild animals to allow residents and visitors an opportunity to experience wildlife within the city.

“The park has been idle for a very long time and it is time to revive it. We want to introduce wild animals because there are people in Francistown who have never seen  some wild animal,” he said.

Mr Mmolotsi added that the city tourism concept, previously launched in Gaborone, would be rolled out in Francistown alongside a Tourism Pitso scheduled for January 22 to 23, to be officially opened by President Advocate Duma Boko.

He stated that tourism was currently the second engine of economic growth after diamonds, employing close to 58 000 people, but stressed the need to diversify the sector in order to double employment opportunities.

Francistown’s history is also marked by tragedy, including the 1974 aviation accident involving a WENELA Air Services Douglas DC-4 aircraft, which claimed the lives of 75 passengers and crew. 

The incident remains the worst aviation disaster in Botswana’s history and serves as a sombre reminder of the city’s past. BOPA