President Yoweri Museveni has given the go-ahead for a new Copyright Management System designed to protect Ugandan musicians and ensure they receive fair compensation for their work. The announcement came during a meeting in Rwakitura, attended by prominent musicians, including Eddy Kenzo, and top government officials.
“Now technology should be able to tell us who has played my song and where,” President Museveni stated, emphasizing the system’s ability to track music usage.
The system will implement several key features:
- Registration of musicians’ works: Providing a central database of copyrighted material.
- Tracking usage: Monitoring where and how often music is played in venues like bars, and on platforms like television and radio.
- Ensuring fair payment: Distributing royalties to artists based on play counts.
- Combating piracy: Reducing the illegal distribution of music.
The system will require businesses such as bars, radio, and television stations to install licensed devices that track music usage. For example, if a bar pays 1 million shillings for a music license, the artists whose songs are played will receive a share of that fee proportional to the number of times their music was played. A song played 60 times will earn 60 percent of the fee.
Enforcement will be a collaborative effort. Bars will be mandated to install the tracking devices, with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) monitoring compliance and the Uganda Police Force enforcing the law. Non-compliant businesses risk closure.
The initiative aims to address the financial struggles faced by many musicians, particularly after their peak years, by ensuring a sustainable income stream from their creative work. The system, developed by State House scientists under the leadership of Eng. Sheba Kyobutungi, will be implemented with the cooperation of agencies like the UCC, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), and the Uganda Police Force.
Eddy Kenzo expressed his gratitude for the development. “Ladies and gentlemen, Fellow Creatives, I am honored to share with you a significant milestone in our journey to protect the creative rights of Ugandan artists,” he said. He recalled a previous meeting at State House Entebbe, where the President challenged artists to find solutions to protect their work under the amended Copyright Law.
Kenzo highlighted the collaboration with State House scientists and the support of Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and State Minister for Culture Peace Mutuuzo. “The President expressed satisfaction with our proposed solutions, and we are thrilled to learn that the Copyright Amendment Draft Bill has been sent back to Parliament,” Kenzo said. “We are optimistic that the amended Copyright Law will be enacted soon.”
He emphasized the commitment to ensuring the amendment’s passage and the protection of Ugandan creativity. The new system is poised to usher in a new era of professionalism and financial stability for Uganda’s creative industry, marking a significant step forward in copyright protection and artist empowerment.