Does Ruretse belong to the BaTlokwa? What history can tell us

After Botswana’s first president Sir Seretse Khama and his wife Ruth purchased Kenmoir, it became popularly known as Ruth and Seretse’s farm, ‘Ruretse’ for short.

It has become a habit of late for some living in Tlokweng to claim that the Khama family took Tlokwa land and are now bound to return it to the Batlokwa.  The question is, on what basis do the Batlokwa have a claim to this farm and the 107 freehold 4-hectare plots created in 1987 that form its perimeter?  This is a question that interests me not only as a Ruretse resident (and permanent resident of Botswana…I am an American citizen), but because for many years I have carried out historical research on Batswana both in Botswana and South Africa.  You may sample some of my writing on https://ub-bw.academia.edu/FredMorton.