LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – The Mosi DOT Collabo edition music festival for 2020; launched in May this year as a once-off solidary event with a focus on raising funds for the tourism and arts sector in Livingstone has been cancelled due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Zambian Breweries in collaboration with R&G Events had announced in May that the event would be held on 10th October, 2020 in Lusaka at the R&G Arena. However, the current situation with the rise in covid-19 cases is not favourable for the event that draws more than 10,000 people in attendance.
Speaking at an engagement with artists hosted by Zambian Breweries on 2 September, Zambian Breweries Country Head of Marketing Sibajene Munkombwe assured that the corporation has planned various virtual events and initiatives for the rest of the year and 2021. “The artists on the Mosi Day of Thunder 2020 line-up will be incorporated into a number of brand initiatives that we are running to support the industry. The cancellation of the Collabo edition is an unfortunate outcome of the dreaded pandemic but we will try our best to engage with artists during this trying time for the arts industry.”
Also present at the Artist Engagement was Adrian Chipindi who is the Director of National Arts Council. “We have witnessed the cancellation of many events in 2020 which has raised great concern for the development of arts in Zambia. To cushion the loss suffered by artists, the Zambian Government has provided relief to the arts sector through the Youth Empowerment Scheme to help recover the losses made in 2020”. The K30 million Youth Empowerment Scheme was launched in August 2020 to assist artists after the negative impacts of COVID-19.
Regardless of the difficult circumstances that the on-going pandemic has created, it is commendable that artists have kept their music alive and used their time to promote new music. Artists Slap Dee and Macky 2 are some of the notable musicians that have continued to entertain audiences with their newly released hit singles “early riser” and “savuka”.
It is without a doubt that the Mosi Day of Thunder in 2021; back in its home town of Livingstone, will be a phenomenal come-back for the popular event which has become a key contributor to the local arts and tourism market.
Zambian Breweries has assured that as committed for the 2020 edition of the event, funds will be donated to the tourism sector in Livingstone as the city recovers from the effects of Covid-19. In the meantime, the public is urged to adhere to the public health guidelines and stay safe.