Collection of royalties from music users has increased from a daily collection of KSh600,000 to KSh1.2 million, this is according to the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).
This comes following the issuance of Collective Management Organisation (CM“I cannot be intimidated!” Ezekiel Mutua hits back at Moses KuriaO) license to Performing and Audio-Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK).
KECOBO Chairperson Joshua Kutuny says that this figure is expected to rise to KSh3 million daily with introduction of the enhanced CMO system.
“The Board notes that there has been positive feedback from music users since it issued the license to only one organization. Many users have reached out to us indicating their willingness to work with the Board and the newly licensed CMO for the benefit of the creatives,” a statement from KECOBO says.
The board, on Thursday, June 13, held a consultative meeting with the chairman of PAVRISK Edwardo Waigwa and discussed on the progress of collection since the issuance of the license and agreed on a number of issues including:
- The immediate closure of KAMP/PRISK (KP) and KAMP/PRISK/MCSK (KPM) accounts used for collection in the previous dispensation.
- Introduction of staff ID with a special code from PAVRISK and KECOBO linked to the collection system.
“I will be meeting more stakeholders in the creative sector in an attempt to ensure that the industry becomes more lucrative for the benefit of all artists,” Kutuny assures.
KECOBO reiterates that it is only one CMO that has been licensed to collect royalties.
“We urge music users to pay only to PAVRISK. I wish to warn that any organization attempting to collect on behalf of creatives without KECOBO’s license will be going against the law and legal action will be taken against them,” the board warns.
KECOBO adds: “We want to encourage transparency in the collection and distribution of royalties by the CMO to help cut costs and increase royalty distribution to artists to at least 70 percent of the collection.”
Mr Waigwa has reiterated PAVRISK’s commitment to ensure that this threshold is achieved.
PAVRISK was licensed to manage all rights in music and for performers in audiovisual sector.
KECOBO has further directed PAVRISK to start the process of negotiation for new tariffs to be published in the Kenya Gazette by December 2024 to respond to the call to lower the cost of doing business for copyright work users.
