Uhuru orders DCI to probe MCSK over disputed artistes’ royalties
President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), to investigate the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), following the recent outcry over low royalties paid to musicians.
Speaking during the funeral of Benga musician John Ng’ang’a alias John De’Mathew, Mr Kenyatta said he has directed the two bodies to find out if there was any corrupt dealings among institutions mandated to collect royalties on behalf of authors, composers, arrangers and publishers of musical works.
“Na pia kwa copyrights na pia tumeona pia labda huko kuna shida, na jana mimi niliamrisha DCI na watu ya EACC waanze upelezi huko tujuwe kama kuna shida huko ya watu kama wanakula pesa ambayo siyo jasho yao. Na hiyo itafanyika na tumesama tunataka report to be made public, na kama kwa ukweli kuna watu wanakula pesa za wenzao washikwe,” said President Kenyatta.
There was an uproar by artistes earlier this month after MCSK sent Sh2,530 as royalty payment to each member via M-Pesa.
Award-winning hip hop star Khaligraph Jones led the onslaught by threatening to storm the MCSK offices.
Other artistes also took to social media to express their disgust at the ‘peanuts’. They included Wangechi, Nikita Kering, Holy Dave and King Kaka.