Hello im kristie want to welcome to africa its good to have you along our was from now polls will open in his most closely force election in more than 5 decades former president income has shaken up the countrys traditionally called politics by denouncing the party founded by his father and which has won every election since independence from britain in 1966 but in the country known for its Natural Beauty and diamond reserves theres more to the political shake up than the politicians. The courts of the Ruling Botswana Democratic Party or p. D. P. Has won every election since botswana gained independence in 1966. Sprigg now theres a fighting chance that this could all change. More than 30 percent of the young population of the country are unemployed and especially in the rural areas and the Village People are complaining that the government is not giving them enough attention you have to be civilized you dont have to stay in this really theyre like this. And. These small employment these small shops and. Its not true that everythings fine inequality is a huge problem suffering here. Form of d. D. P. President is visiting the village of siege where people are living here where strongly critical of him during his 10 year rule but now has defected from the governing party and has thrown his support behind the opposition religious are eager to hear what he has to say. He wants to destroy the way we do things here in botswana. Wants to kill democracy and the rule of law. Comma is referring to president must sisi the man he personally picked to be his successor 2 years ago shortly after taking over as the head of the b d p m i c c declared he would overturn several of comus mandates including a ban of hunting elephants and restrictive laws. Put up with your own party or do you think theres no role model nation is in danger of falling into that. Trap that has affected many other african nations in the past not so much today with that we still have some examples in africa today where when people come into office they think its all about themselves and not about the people that they are supposed to serve so i just felt that after 50 plus years of independence when we worked so hard to get their reputation you referred to to where it is today that we see ourselves rolling backwards and im. Prepared to. See that happen. Is home to 2000000 people. The country is often touted as an african Success Story things in pots to the diamond industry the ruling parties line was always that this hot and prosperity should spreads beyond the countrys elites. The supporters of president morsi say he will continue on that course. He. Says the 5. Countries in the world is now middle income steve has just come out and were pushing for top of the top so its easier to sell. In my lifetime in many people my age my change weve seen with all the nice infrastructure level of education level of health care changing its an easy story to tell in the village of cities where people arent convinced the diamond industry hasnt provided them enough workers they say in the diamond mines wont last forever theyre hoping a change of government will also change the countrys direction and more of the gem money will trickle down to them. My guest today is professor. From the university of south africa is analyzing the election will go on and in fact has just recently returned from the country welcome to the day of the africa professor could this election really spell the end of b. G. P. And change in a new political era in which lana. This is what i did many a qualitative. Election in political analysts have been thinking about but to in my view its going to be a very tough call we have it tends like a cliffhanger you know or and its going to be a close knit forward you know created for a contest and so on and for the 1st time obviously it would be for the trump election this is going to be a tough court in my view ourselves or in the governing because on a Democratic Party but in my view i dont see it losing simply for the reason that it is the incumbent party and nobody knows who came campaign. Ads that are currently in power at the time of the nation well what if if it were so i dont see it in losing but i suppose admitting that it might just you know mean only a very narrow margin of profit that lets talk about and come of the former president and how much influence does he still wield in in the country and will the newly formed botswana patriotic france results in this election be reflective off that. In comedy and it from a president has a significant influence in books on his politics for a simple reason that he is a sign off i mean of the founder of this definition and he did for or so apart from being you know having been in india. And how is this is the for president as well as a you know am here from the head of the whos on the defense force. You know much public you know and an influential you know position in with celebrities so to an extent hes you know a recent sero sudden about 10 way by he started not supporting the opposition was i not you know up at concerts you front it kind of many people by surprise because you know its unthinkable its early days now i have been in the history of the p. D. P. If i left all of president of the country throws in his lot because all of them have been in with the opposition so therefore we expect you know the comma ficta to be. One of the significant issues for this election if you will there be it was an uphill battle to front that hes currently you know who much will be in the supporting him of course at a party that a true and we do very well in this election and the jurys out there this is this election my spring a few surprises in a few constituencies but in spite of it i still believe that theyre you know and it b. P. Their government b. P. Will do the asking if you can see where were here yes they come if they can might just you know a few and crucial votes who might find some surprises in some districts it was on as a 10 day you know where they got this text and it you know its its its its really uncertain and this is how you make sense as opposed to be and to have that element of surprise. Right professor i dont know if this is fair but some people point out that 90 all of the 95 percent of people in botswana have never seen a diamond with their own eyes i mean the point that somebody is trying to illustrate in saying that is this is a country rich in Natural Resources yes there is all there is also an abundance of poverty what is the story in both land as to why that is the case. Here you can even do a do an example with me having the courage to do it is supposed to have value no this is a legacy of good i have never seen. Or even had it in my hands but anyway in terms of its own and yes it is true it is a country that has governments as you know wealthy and significant and very new in the us however the country has been trying to diversify to move away from diamonds because they are increasingly becoming unpredictable of course and progress in the countryside is becoming an issue it was an issue even given the previous to the 14 elections and i and the city most of the parties talking about it of course government has come up with this different programs to try and its risky but it is one of the thorny issues it and you know continue to inspire all through to come to be known is this diamond shoes nation in this im going to go. All right i think im hearing you say diamonds are not forever thats professor i can have will have my point here in south africa thank you. Well and that they have a weight issue in botswana are the countrys elephants which roam freely and its unfenced fox and wide open spaces sparking conflicts with People Living nearby president by c. C. Has recently lifted a ban on hunting saying the number of animals has become unmanageable in the pastas. Were accompanying gamekeepers from chobe a National Park they are patrolling a village on the edge of the reserves. Just. Like they can. Suddenly another elephant turns up among the houses people take cover. In a village near the town of cassani elephants walk right through where people are living conflicts between humans and the animals are common. Daniel to sweeney said jeremy here is a farmer he says elephants regularly visit his fields and destroy everything he plants you know ever and they come every day. Or was supposed to have vests in may but they didnt have anything. There they already damaged. The elephants simply trample down his fences even the electric lines jeremy and no longer has the money to repair them and now he has no income. For him there is only one solution. My feeling is. I think cutting should be done what i feel about all of it does that too many. They need to be to do with. The botswanas government doesnt want to cull the elephants instead its decided to lift its ban on hunting for allowing up to 400. 00 elephants a year to be shot by trophy hunters as well the government says elephants should be hunted in those areas with the biggest conflicts between animals and people. Some experts say hunting is counterproductive as it makes elephant herds move fearful and aggressive exacerbating conflict with local communities. Others welcome a step. A couple of animals that are sport hunted can go a very long way to mitigate the kind of negative impacts including the loss of human life that rural botswanans are facing on a daily basis with the lifting of the hunting ban coming just months before botswanas elections some allege the decision is a ploy to boost the president s popularity among rural voters ahead of the polls. Well that is it for now is africa as always you can catch all our stories on our web site and face the page flavius now with some all fictious all but one is in effect still writes im typing. That people for information provide. The fenians they want to express. On facebook and twitter and up to date in touch follow us. Luxury car in the mirror humans are exploited and animals cruelly slaughtered big brands have committed to fair working conditions and Sustainable Production but who is monitoring the some contractors and investigative documentary goes to italy and china and most behind the glamorous facades of fashion houses luxury behind the mirror starts november 5th on d w. Greetings from berlin and a warm welcome to news from the world of arts and culture and before we get started heres a quick look at some of todays stories. Vogue magazine celebrates 40 years of its german edition with an exhibition in and the accent on fashion as both an artistic and a political force. And we need to libya. A german comic artist whose heros battle with zombies which has led to some of her undead coming to life on the big screen. Well hes one of the few artists were just looking at his brushstrokes will tell you this is a work by vincent fun the dutch painter is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of modern art and his rise to prominence sadly after his death in 890 had largely to do with the enthusiastic reception of his work here in germany well now a new exhibition at the stedding museum in frankfurt sheds light on that relationship. Is of a man who changed painting forever. As the brush strokes of sculpt this