Molepolole Airport

The closure was a result of two primary factors: obsolescence and urban encroachment.
1. **Obsolescence:** The airstrip was replaced by the far superior Thebephatshwa Air Base (ICAO: FBTP), a major military installation with a long, paved runway located approximately 40 km west of Molepolole. This new facility could handle larger aircraft and more significant operations, making the small dirt strip redundant for any government or military purposes.
2. **Urban Encroachment:** Molepolole, as one of Botswana's largest villages and an important administrative center, experienced significant growth. The land on which the airstrip was located became valuable for development. The expansion of the town, including the construction of institutional buildings, roads, and housing, eventually overran the airstrip's footprint, making continued operation unsafe and physically impossible.

The site of the former airport is no longer recognizable as an airfield and has been fully absorbed into the urban landscape of Molepolole. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows that the former runway area is now occupied by roads, residential housing, and institutional buildings. While a faint outline of the former dirt runway can be discerned in some undeveloped patches, the land has been comprehensively redeveloped, making any aviation activity impossible.

The Molepolole Airport (BW-0062) was a small, unpaved airstrip that served as a vital transportation link for the region before its closure. Its primary significance was likely in supporting:
- **Medical Services:** Located very close to the Scottish Livingstone Hospital, the airstrip was almost certainly used for medical evacuation (medevac) flights and by 'flying doctor' services, providing critical access to emergency healthcare for Molepolole and the surrounding Kweneng District.
- **General Aviation and Charter:** It would have handled light aircraft for private, business, and charter flights.
- **Government and Administrative Use:** As the capital of the Kweneng District and the seat of the Bakwena tribe, the airstrip would have facilitated government and administrative travel to and from the village before the road network was fully developed and the larger air base was built.

There are zero prospects for reopening the original Molepolole Airport at this location. The site has been permanently re-purposed for urban development. All regional aviation needs, particularly for military and government purposes, are now served by the large and modern Thebephatshwa Air Base (FBTP). There are no known plans or operational requirements to build a new civilian airport at the old site or elsewhere within Molepolole's immediate vicinity.