Music Copyrights And Royalties To Be Paid Through ECitizen – Moses Kuria
Moses Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, has disclosed that there are ongoing efforts to implement a system where artists’ royalties will be disbursed through eCitizen.
On Sunday night, the CS announced that the government is leading efforts to modify the Copyright Act, aiming to establish a Collective Management Organization under government administration.
If granted permission, artists will have the capability to monitor their royalty earnings using the centralized eCitizen platform.
“All music, copyrights, and royalties will be paid through eCitizen,” announced the CS.
“Our artists will be individually registered. They can view online how much money is collected. 40 days of stealing from our artists are over.
Presently, the gathering and disbursement of copyright royalties are facilitated by the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP), and the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK).
For many years, members of artistic associations have expressed dissatisfaction with the low annual compensation for their music and the failure to receive royalties for their performances.
In late January, MCSK revealed that it had initiated the distribution of music royalties to its members, encompassing the financial year of 2023.
Ezekiel Mutua, the Chief Executive of MCSK, declared that a sum of Ksh20 million was distributed among 16,000 members.
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Rehema Lugose, affiliated with Copy Bird Publishers, topped the earnings list with Ksh757,092, leading the way ahead of Reuben Kigame (Ksh122,410), Otile Brown (Ksh120,000), Praise Makena (Ksh110,000), and Marakwet Daughter (Ksh108,123).
Artists affiliated with PRISK expressed dissatisfaction with low compensation, with Rapper Wangechi and R&B musician Nikita Kering both receiving only Ksh1,215 for their music in 2021.
The leadership of President William Ruto has been consistently focused on consolidating service delivery via the eCitizen platform.
Recently, the government instructed students enrolled in national high schools to submit their school fees using the eCitizen platform.
The State clarified that the instruction aligned with President William Ruto’s strategy to centralize payments using a singular pay bill number, 222,222.
The upcoming guideline is anticipated to promote responsible utilization of funds for the advantage of students. Teachers and accountants engaging in corrupt practices have long been criticized for overseeing financial mismanagement and causing disparities in the financial records of educational institutions.
Music Copyrights And Royalties To Be Paid Through ECitizen – Moses Kuria