Mokweni’s long road to being seen
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday October 12, 2026 06:00
However, for a player developing away from the traditional football centres, getting noticed remains another battle. The first thing Mokweni remembers is not a trophy, but it is a school selection. In 2014, while in Standard 7 at Gantsi Primary School, she was selected by her teacher, a Miss Moneya, for the Garedinku squad to represent Gantsi at zonal level.
That moment changed football from a pastime into something she could take seriously. More than a decade later, the 24-year-old midfielder is captain of GUFFC, having established herself as one of the leading players in the Gantsi football structure.
Her achievements include Gantsi Regional Football Association (GRFA) titles in the 2023–2024 and 2025–2026 seasons, the 2025–2026 DTCB Western Block championship, as well as club and regional top scorer honours.
Yet, for Mokweni, the hardest part of the journey has not necessarily been playing football, and it has been being seen.
“I feel that there are definitely talented players in our block,” she says. “But without consistent exposure and equal access to opportunities, it becomes difficult for them to progress.”
Mokweni’s football journey started in school, but her leadership qualities developed further at Itekeng Junior Secondary School, where she captained the Under-15 side. She later joined GUFFC, where her responsibilities grew until she became club captain.
The Chobokwane native is now recognised for her technical ability, particularly her long passing and ability to strike the ball with power and accuracy.
Her rise has coincided with a significant moment for women’s football in the Western Block.
GUFFC’s success last season saw the club emerge as the Western Block representative in the DTCB Women’s Championship and subsequently secure promotion into the National Women’s First Division.
The club finished fourth after losing 6-1 to Dunamis and Daughters in the semi-finals and 3-0 to City Kings in the third-place match.
For Mokweni, however, the significance goes beyond her own medal collection.
She says GUFFC became the first team from the Gantsi Region to win the Western Block play-offs, making the achievement particularly meaningful because she had the responsibility of leading the side.
The breakthrough comes against a background of a women's game that has historically developed at different speeds across Botswana.
The Western Block only entered competitive women’s football in the 2023–2024 season, with leagues introduced in Tsabong and Gantsi.
At the time, the block was described as traditionally marginalised in the women’s game. That late start has consequences.
Whilst clubs in established football centres have had years to build structures, player pathways and visibility, players in the Western Block continue to contend with distance, limited resources and fewer opportunities to attract attention.
Mokweni points to basic equipment such as balls, hurdles and cones, as well as transport and funding for away matches. The problem, she says, extends beyond what happens on the pitch.
Regional women's matches receive limited media and social media coverage, making it difficult for players to build profiles and attract scouts.
The morning kick-offs can also result in low attendances, further reducing the visibility of teams and players. For someone trying to break through, the geographical distance from Botswana's major football centres can become another barrier.
“Sometimes I feel that playing in the Western Block can limit chances, mainly because of the distance from major football centres and opportunities,” Mokweni says.
The gap is also visible in competitive results. Gaborone United Ladies (GU), one of the dominant forces in the women's game, scored more than 200 goals during its 2025–2026 Southern Stream campaign.
Earlier in the season, GU recorded a 42-0 victory over Gantsi Swallows, a result that highlighted the competitive imbalance in women's football rather than simply being a statistic to celebrate.
For Mokweni, such disparities underline the need to strengthen the foundations of the game rather than simply expecting players from developing regions to catch up.
She wants greater investment in coaching, scouting, grassroots programmes, equipment and media coverage, whilst also calling for more women to be involved in football administration and development. Her ambition is no longer simply to be known as a footballer from Gantsi.
“I want to grow from being just a footballer to being a female football player with experience and to play at the highest level possible,” she says.
The skipper also wants her journey to inspire younger girls. The National Women’s First Division will provide Mokweni and her teammates with a bigger platform and a tougher test.
For GUFFC, it is an opportunity to measure itself against teams from other parts of the country. As for Mokweni, it is also an opportunity to turn years of perseverance in the Western Block into visibility on a bigger stage.
Mokweni’s journey has already taken her from a Standard 7 school selection to regional championships, a historic Western Block triumph and national competition.
But she knows that making the next step will require more than talent, and it will require opportunity.
And for Mokweni, the philosophy remains simple.
“Tomorrow is a brand new day. We go again.”
For the next girl growing up in the Western Block, that journey may be a little shorter if the spotlight finally reaches beyond local traditional football centres.