Serowe
Encyclopedia
Serowe was famed as Botswana
's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents. In recent times it has seen many developments as the town and Botswana continue to grow.
, chief of the Bamangwato
people in the late 19th and early 20th century. In 1903 he founded as a new capital Serowe, Bamangwato.New International Encyclopedia
. It is also the birthplace of Seretse Khama
, Botswana's first President, and the traditional center of the Bamangwato tribe.
Swaneng Hill School in Serowe was the first of the Brigades Movement schools founded by educationalist Patrick van Rensburg
.
Serowe is located in a fertile, well-watered area in Botswana's Central District and is a trade and commerce centre. It lies west of the Gaborone
–Francistown
road, from which it is easily reached. It also marks the beginning of the Serowe-Orapa road, which ends at the diamond mines in Orapa. Construction of this road began in 1986, and was completed several years later.
Swaneng hill is divided into three hillocks called Pa-Swaneng, Ma-Swaneng and Ba-Swaneng: Father, Mother and Baby Swaneng respectively.
Notable features of the local area include a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) base on the road to Paje and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary.
The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a charitable game reserve established in 1992 by the Ballentines and Watsons (local families) and Ian Khama
(the current President) that lies 25 km north of Serowe itself. The 4,300 hectares of Kalahari sandveld was established as a haven for black
and white Rhinoceros
.
, all having been born in Serowe.
One of the major upgrades was the construction of the new state-of-the-art Sekgoma Hospital, which is loacated 6 km to the south of the main town, replacing the old and derelict hospital in the area also by the same name. It operates as the main district hospital in the area. The facility was constructed at an estimated cost of P300 million. The hospital was opened to the public by late 2007. It has proved to be a major centre in the area, reducing a heavy burden at the Francistown
Hospital, which was succumbing to problems of overcrowding and unhygienic conditions.
Another major development that has taken place was the Serowe Stadium
and surrounding sports complex. This project, which costed the Botswana government P30 million, was opened in mid-2003. It currently provides the Central District with its only major sports facility.
, inspiring her 1974 book Serowe: Village of the Rain Wind. Her name and importance to the village is remembered in the Khama III Memorial Museum in the Bessie Head Room, which was established (the room) in 2007.
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents. In recent times it has seen many developments as the town and Botswana continue to grow.
History
Serowe has a memorial to Khama IIIKhama III
Khama III , also known as Khama the Good, was the kgosi of the Bamangwato people of Bechuanaland , who made his country a protectorate of the United Kingdom to ensure its survival against Boer and Ndebele encroachments.-Ancestry and Youth:During the 18th century, Malope, chief of the Bakwena...
, chief of the Bamangwato
Bamangwato
The Bamangwato can be said to be one of the eight 'principal' Tswana tribes of Botswana, and just like any other Tswana tribe in Botswana, constitutes a small percent in the central district even in their capital serowe. They ruled over majority Bakalangaand other tribes such as the san,bitwa and...
people in the late 19th and early 20th century. In 1903 he founded as a new capital Serowe, Bamangwato.New International Encyclopedia
New International Encyclopedia
The New International Encyclopedia was an American encyclopedia first published in 1902 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It descended from the International Cyclopaedia and was updated in 1906, 1914 and 1926.-History:...
. It is also the birthplace of Seretse Khama
Seretse Khama
Sir Seretse Khama, KBE was a statesman from Botswana. Born into one of the more powerful of the royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated abroad in neighbouring South Africa and in the United Kingdom, he returned home—with a popular but controversial...
, Botswana's first President, and the traditional center of the Bamangwato tribe.
Swaneng Hill School in Serowe was the first of the Brigades Movement schools founded by educationalist Patrick van Rensburg
Patrick van Rensburg
Patrick van Rensburg is an African educationalist and former anti-apartheid activist. He founded the Brigades Movement in Botswana, and the Foundation for Education with Production which is active in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe....
.
Geography
Gaborone
' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
–Francistown
Francistown
Francistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
road, from which it is easily reached. It also marks the beginning of the Serowe-Orapa road, which ends at the diamond mines in Orapa. Construction of this road began in 1986, and was completed several years later.
Swaneng hill is divided into three hillocks called Pa-Swaneng, Ma-Swaneng and Ba-Swaneng: Father, Mother and Baby Swaneng respectively.
Notable features of the local area include a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) base on the road to Paje and the Khama Rhino Sanctuary.
The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a charitable game reserve established in 1992 by the Ballentines and Watsons (local families) and Ian Khama
Ian Khama
Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama is a Botswana politician who has been the President of Botswana since 2008; he is also the Paramount Chief of the Bamangwato tribe...
(the current President) that lies 25 km north of Serowe itself. The 4,300 hectares of Kalahari sandveld was established as a haven for black
Black Rhinoceros
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...
and white Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
.
Government
Serowe currently serves as the capital of the Central District. The town also has a rich history in the Botswana Government, with Sir Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, current president, President Lieutenant General Ian Khama, and former president, Festus MogaeFestus Mogae
Festus Gontebanye Mogae is a Botswana politician who was President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama...
, all having been born in Serowe.
Infrastructure
Since the turn of 2000, Serowe has undergone numerous developments and continues to expand at a steady rate, despite an exponential growth from neighbouring Palapye.One of the major upgrades was the construction of the new state-of-the-art Sekgoma Hospital, which is loacated 6 km to the south of the main town, replacing the old and derelict hospital in the area also by the same name. It operates as the main district hospital in the area. The facility was constructed at an estimated cost of P300 million. The hospital was opened to the public by late 2007. It has proved to be a major centre in the area, reducing a heavy burden at the Francistown
Francistown
Francistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
Hospital, which was succumbing to problems of overcrowding and unhygienic conditions.
Another major development that has taken place was the Serowe Stadium
Serowe Stadium
The Serowe Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Serowe, Botswana. It is a part of the Serowe Sports Complex, a P27 Million integrated-sports project, which was built in 2002 and officially opened in 2003. The Stadium has a capacity of 6,000 spectators. The main stadium has a...
and surrounding sports complex. This project, which costed the Botswana government P30 million, was opened in mid-2003. It currently provides the Central District with its only major sports facility.
Literature
Serowe was the adopted home of South African-born writer Bessie HeadBessie Head
Bessie Emery Head is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer.-Biography:Bessie Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the child of a wealthy white South African woman and a black servant when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa...
, inspiring her 1974 book Serowe: Village of the Rain Wind. Her name and importance to the village is remembered in the Khama III Memorial Museum in the Bessie Head Room, which was established (the room) in 2007.