Tonota is a village located in the Central District of Botswana. The people in Tonota are said to be Bakhurutshe who fought against some other tribes they found there and after winning the war, they owned the land and they became 'Ba bina kgama le phofu'. The name Tonota is said to be spelled THONOTHA (pronounced DONOTHA) in natural Sekhurutshe but was changed to Tonota due to the influence of the Tswana Languages. The village is located 27 kilometers south of the City of Francistown along the A1 (Francistown-Gaborone) road. It lies along the Southwest bank of Shashe River, which happens to the border between the Central and North East Districts, so Tonota is considered to be in the Central District. Tonota is a large territory divided into small segments, namely: Tonota Village in the South, Semotswane, Mandunyane, and Shashe Bridge to the north. The chief of the Tonota village is Kgosi Bokamoso Radipitse who took over the chieftainship from his father, Ramosinyi Radipitse who retired from the chieftaincy throne in 2016 due to old age. It was promoted to sub-district from under Tutume in 2003. There are 10 primary schools in Tonota: Madisakwana Memorial School Moutlwatsi Memorial school Rauwe Memorial school Tonota Primary school Kgosi Sekoko Memorial school John Phooko Memorial Primary school Tholodi Primary school Semotswane Primary school Mandunyane Primary School Masedi Primary school There are also 3 junior secondary schools: Letlhabile Junior School Rutwang Junior School Tonota Junior School And a senior school which is Shashe River School. There is also a college (Tonota College of Education(TCE)). The member of parliament for Tonota South is Hon. Pono Pearson Moatlhodi and the Member of Parliament for the then Tonota North constituency now known as the Shashe West constituency is Hon. Fidelis Mmilili Molao. Other great politicians and leaders to have come out of this expansive village include former cabinet ministers and MPs like: Mr Lemme Makgekgenene, Mr Patrick Balopi, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and MP, Mr Pono P. Moatlhodi and the former minister of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Mathambo, Michael Mzwinila, among others. The first people settled between 1912 and 1914 from Selepeng/Leshongwane in the north east part of the country. They were led by Kgosi Rauwe Sekoko who originated from Lehurutshe in Dinokaneng in South Africa. Before settling in the north east it is understood that Bahurutshe first settled with Bangwato in the