This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Wednesday, September 17th, 2008.

I'm Caleb Brown.

A power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe means a weaker regime for Robert Mugabe, but does it mean an improved economy, greater recognition

of private property, and an end to 11 million percent annual inflation?

Marion Tupi, a policy analyst at the Kido Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, offers his analysis.

According to the power sharing agreement that was signed last Thursday.

Robert Mugabe will remain as the head of state.

He will remain as president and he will remain in charge of the army,

while at the same time naming the ambassadors and presiding over the

cabinet. Morgan's fungal I becomes a prime minister. He presides over what is called a Council of Ministers, and he will be in

charge of the Army.

The important thing is that for the first time there will be more Cabinet Ministers

for the opposition than for the ruling

Zano PF.

So in this council of ministers that Morgan Swangarai will preside over and that will run Zimbabwe on day-to-day basis.

He will have a majority and therefore the ability to push through whatever reform proposals he might have and then have them approved by a

majority in the lower house of parliament. So these are the outlines of

the agreement, how it will work in practice or whether it will work in

practice is unclear.

Is this a defeat for Robert Mugabe?

It is certainly a climb down for Robert Mugabe. It is not a clear victory for Zwangarai and that is for a variety of reasons. I think that

Swangarai wanted to, didn't want a deal where he was

...