An emblem of hope, and one of despair.

Over the past few days the bleak economic forecasts, which have of late dominated media coverage, have been replaced with a much missed optimism. This wave of optimism, this audacity to see light where many see only financial ruin and depression has been generated by Barack Obama and his inauguration, scheduled to take place later today. Leadership in times of strife is of immense importance and many great leaders reputations have been forged amid turmoil and chaos, Winston Churchill became a symbol for resistance in war time Britain, Nelson Mandela for humanity in post apartheid South-Africa and FDR for an American return to health after the Wall Street crash of 1929.

Yet at this time of great optimism, the tale Barack Obama is juxtaposed with that of another politician, a politician who was also hailed by his people as a forebearer of change, an apostle of hope. This man's name is Robert Mugabe. For as Barack Obama prepares to enter the White House as America's 44th president so Mugabe clings to power in what remains of the country he once helped to liberate. Zimbabwe was once a shining example of African democracy with a productive economy and political liberty. Now, this Zimbabwe remains but a distant memory.

Today Zimbabwe has risen to infamy as the emobiment of the expression "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". It's economy in tatters, even hyper-inflation seems insufficient to capture the concept of the recently introduced 100 trillion dollar bank note. Once the bread basket of Africa, following Mugabe's disastrous land reform program (see politically motivated land grab) there are now widespread food shortages. The recent outbreak of cholera which continues to rave throughout the country has resulted in a death toll fast approaching 2000.

Yet like the people of America did on the 4th November 2008, Zimbabwean's (under significantly less permissive conditions)also voted for change. Where the American people voted for Barack Obama they voted for Morgan Tsvangirai. However, the Zimbabwean people have been deprived of the change they voted for in the first round of election in 2008 (Morgan Tsvangirai's party the Movement for Democratic Change withdrew from the second round due to serious concerns about their own and their supporters safety). Mr Mugabe, faced with mounting international pressure agreed to a power sharing government but talks regarding this option collapsed in the face of Mugabe's intransigence with regard to key industries and in particular control of the police and the army. On Friday as Barack Obama was readying himself for his journey in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln, Morgan Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe for the first time in two months to try and bridge the political impasse.

Yesterday, monday the 19th of january, as the world waited with baited breath to be once again enthralled by the rhetorical genius of its new favourite son, Mr Tsvangirai proclaimed the day "the darkest day of our lives” for those hopeful of political change in Zimbabwe, as talks on a new coalition government ended in failure.