23/04/2024
ZB, RTSA, AND ZP STRESS SAFETY AHEAD OF MDOT 2024
By GIANT REPORTER
Zambian Breweries, the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the Zambia Police Service (ZP) are calling on Mosi Day of Thunder (MDOT) 2024 revellers to adopt a safety-first mindset ahead of this year’s instalment of the festival in Livingstone.
RTSA and the Zambia Police, in partnership with Zambian Breweries, will be undertaking road safety education and traffic law enforcement activities in the leadup to and during the event as a reminder of the safety measures road users must follow. Zambia Breweries has further committed K100,000 towards these efforts.
Zambian Breweries Country Director, Thais Cavinatto said that the safety of festival attendees is a top priority for all the stakeholders involved: “For the thousands of music enthusiasts from across the country and beyond, many of whom will be travelling long distances to attend, rest assured that safety is a top priority for us during this period. Zambian Breweries is once again privileged to have our all-weather friends from the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the Zambia Police Service (ZP) accompanying us to and from the journey to the Mosi Day of Thunder in Livingstone by ensuring that every possible safety measures are in place for the wellbeing of the many fans travelling to MDOT.”
“This year’s theme ‘Thunder Together’, embodies the spirit of unity, collaboration and solidarity. It highlights the importance of coming together as a people to celebrate our shared heritage, culture and achievements,” Ms Cavinatto added.
RTSA Deputy Director of Safety, Eng. Alinani Msisya noted that the risks associated with increased vehicular population is worsened when road users fail to adhere to road traffic regulations.
He further highlighted driving under the influence – along with over speeding, failure to use seat belts, use of mobile phones while driving and other infringements – as some of the major causes of road traffic crashes in Zambia and urged the public to avoid doing so as the resulting impaired judgement puts the life of both the driver and other road users at risk.
“Please don’t drink and drive. Should you drink, ensure that you have a sober driver with a valid driver’s licence to drive you. Most of the road traffic crashes recorded are mainly due to human error, i.e., speeding, the use of mobile phones while driving etc. We therefore wish to implore everyone to be patient on the road, to be courteous to other road users in order to improve the road safety profile of our country,” said Eng. Msisya.
Zambian Breweries in line with its Smart Drinking initiative continues to work hand-in-hand with the Zambia Police and RTSA to promote responsible alcohol consumption as well as to create awareness around driving drunk and binge drinking.
Zambian Breweries Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Tawanda Hojane reiterated this stance reminding the public to practice the four Cheers Pa Easy tenets that remind consumers to pace themselves, ensure that they eat, drink water in between their alcoholic drinks, and not to drink and drive.
The 7th edition of the Mosi Day of Thunder promises to be an exciting celebration of Zambian talent and culture and continues its tradition of featuring an iconic star lineup of local artists. This year, the stage will also be supported by South Africa’s drum boss, Heavy K.
Zambian Breweries is encouraging festival attendees to come out in numbers and make the 2024 Mosi Day of Thunder the best one thus far:
“We encourage attendees to play their part in staying safe. We urge all attendees to look out for one another, and to respect each other’s boundaries. Let’s have fun, dance and enjoy the music, but let’s also stay safe, and make responsible choices. We encourage attendees to make use of designated drivers or alternative transportation options such as taxis or ride-sharing services to avoid driving under the influence,” said Ms Cavinatto.
“Zambian Breweries is truly proud to host this event for the seventh year, a festival that unites people from all walks of life and celebrates Zambia’s rich cultural heritage and all that this beautiful country has to offer. We are also particularly proud of the fact that the Mosi Day of Thunder stage has grown into a platform that showcases the best in Zed music, arts, and all that Zambia has to offer in terms of tourism, both to our own people as well as the international audience.
Truly we are ‘Thundering Together’ by promoting an industrious, creative and artistic Zambia to the world,” concluded Ms Cavinatto.