The Kenya Copyrights Board (KECOBO) has trained over 400 creatives and law enforcement officers in Narok County on copyright infringement in a bid to enhance the protection of intellectual property rights.
Speaking during the closure of the two-day workshop in a Narok hotel, Acting Executive Director of KECOBO, George Nyakweba, said the initiative aims to strengthen enforcement mechanisms on copyright infringement.
“Through this capacity-building programme, KECOBO reaffirms its commitment to promoting a fair and secure environment for creatives, ensuring they fully benefit from their intellectual property,” the director added.
He reiterated the law provides KECOBO to advise creatives as they encourage them to register to receive a certificate of their work.
“The certificate issued is very important in the event of an infringement. It can be used as evidence before the court of law,” he said.
However, if an artist’s work is not registered, they will be forced to bear an extra burden of proving the ownership of the work in case of an infringement.
“If you find anyone infringing on your music, you can report to us or to the police who we have trained so that they can be able to assist you. You need to prove the ownership of the work so that you can be able to be assisted,” he insisted.
KECOBO Deputy Director of Training and Research Sharon Wata encouraged artists to always sign a contract when hired to perform so that in case the contract is broken, the board can easily help them.
She also encouraged them to use watermarks when posting their work on social media platforms to avoid infringement.
“When your work is infringed upon, send out infringement warnings and report copyright violations to KECOBO, who will be able to help you,” she reiterated.
She also advised residents to be careful about what they post and where they post their content online, warning about posting other people’s content without their knowledge or photos of children without the permission of their parents or guardians.
Ms. Violet Sikawa, Director of Culture, Narok County Government, said the training will help bridge many gaps and challenges they have had with artists.
She underscored the county government’s commitment to train the society on copyright and data protection so that they cannot easily find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
KECOBO is a State Corporation with a mission to administer and enforce copyright and related rights in the country. As part of its mandate to educate and inform the public and creatives on matters of copyright.
The training is designed to empower creatives across various disciplines, including musicians, photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, writers, performers, software developers, and sculptors, by equipping them with essential knowledge on copyright and related rights.
The programme also features intellectual property lawyers who will provide free legal advice and facilitate free copyright registration for participants.
By Ann Salaton
