Correspondent|RETIRED U.S. Foreign Service Officer and former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr. Bruce Wharton has described the Zimbabwe Government’s hiring of an anti sanctions lobbyist as a tragic waste of public funds.

President Mnangagwa’s administration hired Donald Trump’s fundraiser Brian Ballard. Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo signed a contract with Ballard Partners to represent Zimbabwe in Washington, making it the first firm to lobby on the country’s behalf in more than a decade.

The contract entails $150,000 quarterly installments through February 2020.

Writing on Twitter, Wharton said there will be no change in United States policy towards Zimbabwe.

Said Wharton: “Tragic waste of public funds. The return of investment here is likely a negative–no change in U.S. policy (presumably what they hope to buy) and a further decline in the Government of Zimbabwe/ZANU-PF’s credibility on real reform.”

Other analysts have also warned that even Mugabe paid US$3 million to lobbysts a decade ago but without the necessary reforms in the Zimbabwean political landscape, the sanctions have remained in force.

Wharton in 2014 when he was US Ambassador to Zimbabwe infamously said that the problems Zimbabwe is facing have nothing to do with “sanctions”, a position that his government has always maintained.

“Zimbabwe’s economy is in the hands of Zimbabweans. While businesses, labour unions, trade associations, courts and schools all have important roles, economic destiny starts with decisions made by the Government of Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabwe’s economy has been through dramatic ups and downs in the last 15 years. You all know that better than I do. But the idea that targeted U.S. sanctions have caused Zimbabwe’s economic woes simply does not hold up to critical analysis,” Mr Wharton said at the time, while addressing the SAPES Trust Policy Dialogue.