Nairobi News

Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) has welcomed the move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to sign into law the Copyrights amendment bill that will ensure artists receive half of the money collected through ringback tunes.
In a statement, newly installed MCSK boss Ezekiel Mutua said that the law has opened opportunities for musicians to reap the full dividends and benefit optimally from their music work.
Dr Mutua also promised to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure implementation of the law through effective and smooth collection and distribution of royalties.
“MCSK has received with great joy the signing into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Copyright (Amendment) law 2021 which confers great benefits to artists through the ring back tunes. The law gives copyright holders and musicians in particular more powers and control of their works,” Ezekiel Mutua said.
He claims that the exploitation of musical works through technology has been largely tilted in favour of businesspeople including tech companies, telecommunication operators and broadcasters.
The lack of a structured revenue sharing formula that gives recognition to copyright owners has for long led to a situation where many artists continue to be exploited and languish in poverty while users of the artistic works declare huge profits.
“For music to be taken as a serious career the rights of our talented artists must take centre stage. Deployment of technology must also confer benefits to the copyright owners rather than become an impediment or toll for exploitation or copyright infringement,” Ezekiel Mutua said.
“We look forward to the time when by ensuring effective deployment of technology, Kenyan musicians will benefit fully from their creativity and become powerful champions and custodians of societal values. For sure, a new dawn has come for the Kenyan music industry and the future can only be all the more bright,” he said.