President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly approved the operationalization of the copyright management system, a programme aimed at strengthening intellectual property rights and providing better protection for the creatives in the country.
The implication of this is that for license fees paid by a television station, radio station or bar, and disco club, among others to play local music, artistes will be entitled to a percentage of that money depending on how many times their song is played.
According to Dr Joel Isabirye, Principal Development Economist at State House many musicians, said the system would help musicians continue earning from their works even years after they are no longer active, either due to illness or career has gone down.
“So those artistes will earn forever because people are still playing their old songs, and they can even sit at home and earn instead of going on stage when they are old and can no longer be strong enough to perform; they can sit at home and remember their grand grandchildren can keep earning from this for as long as those songs are played,” Dr Isabirye said during a Friday, February 28 meeting with President Museveni at his home in Rwakitura.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, the Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Peace Mutuuzo, and a section of musicians led by Mr Edrisah Musuuza, alias Eddy Kenzo, the Senior Presidential Advisor for Creatives and President of the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), among others.
