United Transformation Movement (UTM) has responded to government over allegations that the party and its ally Malawi Congress Party (MCP) are politicizing the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

After government banned huge gatherings, UTM and MCP announced of a tour regarding the virus dubbed ‘Coronavirus sensitization tours’ with an aim of feeding the masses with right information regarding the virus.

This morning, government through the ministry of Information called on MCP and UTM to cancel all the Coronavirus sensitization tours arguing the responsibility remains in the hands of ministry of health.

UTM’s publicist Joseph Chidanti Malunga said they cannot politicize the virus knowing that it is a global pandemic.

Malunga added that what they are doing is in line with what other organizations are doing.

“We have to comply with what our colleagues are doing especially the World Health Organization restrictions in terms of people gathering the number that is being mentioned, as a country we have our measures we should follow and we will follow as a party probably what we do not want is this issue to be politicized,” Malunga said.

“As we speak there is a statement I think it’s coming from Honourable Botomani to say that they are actually quashing our awareness campaigns because we wanted to go about and let Malawians know the dangers of this virus in the communities but they have issued a statement to say we cannot do that, this is what we call politics.

“We cannot accept politicizing this, if we say we should not do meetings fine; we are going to adhere to that because it is a global pandemic but going beyond and politicizing this issue then it is unfortunate,” Malunga retaliated.