Musicians to receive 70 percent royalties from their production

Musicians in the country have entered into an agreement with the Kenya Copyright Board that will see them receive 70 percent royalties proceeds of their production by July 2019.
Under the pact, the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP), Performance Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) and Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) will collect the royalties on behalf of the artists.
Addressing the press during the signing of the pact in Naivasha, Executive Director Kenya Copyright Board Edward Sigei said that they had vetted the three organizations before licensing them.
He said that they will monitor the operation of the groups adding that for years musicians have suffered despite their music getting a lot of airplay.
However he said from July it is expected that the musicians will receive 70 percent of royalties from their music adding that the board will ensure that this is effected promptly.
He noted that with KAMP, PRISK and MCSK signing the agreement, wrangles synonymous with the sector were expected to be a thing of the past and assured that the board will monitor keenly the performance of the three organizations so that royalties are collected effectively and consistently.
CEO Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) Dr. Ezekiel Mutua termed the agreement as a move in the right direction adding that hundreds of musicians across the country were living in abject poverty due to an increase in cases of piracy which was denying them a share of the sales.
He said that the board will fully support the three organizations while collecting the royalties adding that they would no longer issue classification stickers to pirated materials.
Mutua urged the stakeholders to make sure that they address the issue of content in music and kick out pornography alongside the fight against piracy in the country.
The acting CEO Music Copyright Society of Kenya Milcah Kulati noted that they will jointly collect copyright fees and issue single license permits to traders to avoid parallel connection.
By Esther Mwangi/Mercy Kihugu