A Win For Artists As President Uhuru Signs The Copyright (Amendment) Bill

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday at Statehouse signed in to law five parliamentary bills among them The Copyright (Amendment) Bill. The Bill introduces a new formula in the sharing of revenues collected from ring back tunes.

Section 30(c) of the new Copyright law provides as follows: premium rate service provider shall be entitled to 8.5%; telecommunication operator 39.5%; and the artist or owner of the copyright shall be entitled to not less than 52% of the revenue.The new law will see artists enjoy better royalties because it introduces a new formula in the sharing of revenues collected from ring back tunes.

In the past, artist used to receive 16% of their royalties from ring back tones while the telecommunication services gained 51% and Kenya Revenue Authority received 25%. The bill sponsored by Homabay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga was passed in February.

Newly appointed Music Copyright Society of Kenya boss Ezekiel Mutua expressed his gratitude to the president for appending his signature. “Thank you President Uhuru Kenyatta for the gift to Kenyan musicians. With the signing of the Copyright (Amendment) Bill into law, a new revenue sharing formula tilted in favour of copyright owners comes into place. I said there will be billionaires in this industry!” He wrote on his twitter.

It is a big win for Kenya artists and content creators who have been fighting for better pay through their hard work over the years. To have better payment from the popular Skiza Tune.