The directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta that Collective Management Organistations (CMOs) be investigated has attracted mixed reactions from musicians.
On Saturday, while addressing mourners at the burial of Kikuyu benga musician John De’Mathew in Gatanga, Uhuru said the move would unearth any corrupt deals that deny musicians earnings collected in form of royalties by the CMOs.
“Recently, we were told that an organisation collected more than Sh200 million on behalf of musicians and then claimed that they spent 60 per cent of that money as expenses for the collection. It makes no sense.
Yesterday I ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the matter and the report should made public,” he said.
It makes no sense. Yesterday I ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the matter and the report should made public,” he said.
CMOs include Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), and Performers Rights Society of Kenya (Prisk).
Payment proofs
Uhuru also said the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) would be moved from the Office of the Attorney General to the ICT ministry, as part of measures to protect musicians from exploitation.
He added that the Communications Authority should not renew licences for broadcasters and telecommunication firms, unless they showed proof they had paid for music content.
Some artistes agreed with him while others said the solution lies in abolishing royalty collection all together.
Dancehall singer Miggy Champ said: “Unless the President constitutes a serious committee to do thorough investigations, nothing will ever change.”
Genge artiste Nonini praised Uhuru’s directives, saying the music industry needed to embrace unity.
Producer and artiste Madtraxx told People Daily: “I hope action will be taken genuinely and those were not just words for the crowd to cheer.”
Rapper and producer Visita said artistes only need the support of their fans, and that the changes proposed by the President would bring no change.
