
Kenyan artists can now have a sigh of relief after Parliament on Wednesday passed the Copyright (amendment) Bill, 2021.
The bill sponsored by Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga,will see artists and copyright holders getting their share in revenues generated from their ringback tones.
Before the bill was passed, artists would only receive 16 per cent of the revenue generated from their Skiza tune. 25 per cent would go to the Kenyan Revenue Authority and 51 per cent would go to the telecommunications service provider.
However, with the passage of the Bill, artists will be getting 52 per cent of the revenue generated from their ringback tones while the telecommunication company and the taxman will each pocket 16 per cent of the Skiza revenue, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers(PRSPs) will then pocket 9 percent.
The National Assembly also passed an ammendment to allow artists to receive their share of revenue directly and not through agencies, CBO’s and PRSPs
During the debate on the Bill, Acting Finance and National Committee Chairman Mark Nyamita noted that an artiste reported to the committee that they had not received payment for a period of 8 months from collection agencies.
The bill now awaits to be signed into law by the President.