CIVIL servants were Thursday left seething with anger after anti-riot police officers stopped a Public Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) annual general meeting (AGM) for the second consecutive year without explanation.
Their representatives, who were chased away from the Harare venue, told journalists government wanted to take over the entity despite it being wholly owned by civil servants.
They questioned why government was taking an active role in operations at PSMAS yet it had no stake in it, with their only relationship based on the subscriptions it pays for employees.
Government pays 80% of PSMAS subscriptions for each of its employees under the medical scheme.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president, Enock Dongo, described the act as hooliganism.
“It is only prudent to give members the chance and opportunity to hold an AGM so that we can discuss the issues,” said Dongo.
“We are aware that besides government, there are also challenges as far as PSMI is concerned in terms of abuse of funds that we are hearing, which we want to confront at the AGM.
“If we are blocked, where exactly are we going to vent and say what we want to say? This is the only platform where we can discuss these issues.
“We are now very convinced that government has a hand as far as the problems at PSMI and PSMAS are concerned. If not, they should allow us to have an AGM so we ask these boards.
“We understand PSMAS’ AGM was supposed to be conducted last year but it was stopped by the same government. If there is anything that they wanted to do, they should have done that over that year.
“They cannot do that, this is hooliganism.”
Allegations are that some top public service officials have been siphoning funds from PSMAS, PSMI and some of its investments, hence concerted efforts to block the AGM.
Civil servants representatives hinted at a forensic audit for the institution.