Kasese District is located along the equator. It is bordered by Kabarole District to the north, Kamwenge District to the east, Rubirizi District to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The district headquarters at Kasese are located approximately 359 kilometers (223 mi), by road, west of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city.
Kasese is a multi-ethnic district with many people of different ethnic backgrounds. The main languages and ethnic groups that dominate the area are Rutooro and Rukonjo, the languages of the Batooro and the Bakonjo people respectively. However, there are other ethnic groups in the district who include the Banyankole, Basongora, Bakiga and Baganda. There is also common usage of English and Swahili.