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Musicians call on Mpake to formalise govt directive on royalties


Local musicians have urged the newly registered Music Publishers Association of Kenya (Mpake) to formalise a government directive on joint collections of their royalties.

This was after the government failed to renew the licence of Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) licence for 2017.

According to the musicians, MCSK was unable to account for monies it collected and distributed in 2016.

Musicians have long complained about the lack of transparency and accountability in the management of artistes’ royalties at MCSK.

SHOW CAUSE WHY

In 2016, a section of musicians petitioned the Kenya Copyright Board to have MCSK and other collective management organisations to show cause why they should not be deregistered.

This came after local musicians went public after being paid peanuts.

Singer Avril shared documents showing that she was paid slightly over Sh4,500 for a song she had previously done.

Ndio nisikie the-know-it-alls saying I’m in bed with MCSK. I’m fighting because I see where the problem is and I want my money too, but I won’t fight the person fighting for me,” she said.

Lingala ya Yesu‘ hit maker Pitson earned Sh5,000 for the song that catapulted him to massive fame.

An upset Bone Eye had to vent his frustrations on Facebook when he remembered that three years ago MCSK tried to pay P-Unit Sh250 for Kare, a song that was at the top of African charts at the time.

The musicians urged all music users to cooperate with Mpake, Performers Rights Sopciety of Kenya (Prisk) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp) by taking out joint licenses from them.