Mapoka Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and a lack of demand. As a small, unpaved airstrip serving a rural village, its operation was likely dependent on a specific user (such as a local mission, business, or government service) that ceased operations or no longer required air access. The gradual deterioration of the runway surface without maintenance, combined with improved ground transportation in the region, made the airstrip obsolete.

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery confirms that the former dirt runway is entirely overgrown with grass and scrub, making it indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape except for a faint outline. There are no remaining airport facilities like buildings, hangars, or fencing. The land has reverted to natural bush and is currently unused.

Mapoka Airport held local, rather than national, significance. It served as a basic utility airstrip for the village of Mapoka and the surrounding area in Botswana's North-East District. Its operations would have been limited to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flights during daylight hours. The airport facilitated access for light aircraft, such as Cessna 206s or similar bush planes, which were likely used for transporting personnel, medical supplies, mail, or for administrative and missionary purposes before the local road network was fully developed. It was a critical link for a remote community but had no scheduled services or significant infrastructure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Mapoka Airport. Re-establishing the airstrip would require significant investment in clearing, grading, and compacting the runway, for which there is no apparent economic or strategic justification. The proximity of Francistown International Airport (FBFT), a major regional airport located approximately 70 km to the south with full services, serves the needs of the region, making the revival of a small, basic strip like Mapoka highly unlikely.