In 2017, the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) had its license refuse to be renewed by the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) for failure to submit its audited financial statements and amounts paid in royalties to its members. MCSK is a membership organization that has existed since 1983 (for music authors, publishers, composers, and arrangers), and it is supposed to collect royalties derived from mechanical/reproduction rights, performing rights and synchronization rights and distribute at least 70% to its members. This has not been the case in recent years.

We are joined by Dan Aceda, a musician and director at the Music Publishers Association of Kenya (MPAKE), to discuss how copyright works, the problem with the under-resourcing of KECOBO, the rot at MCSK, the failure to pay musicians their royalties, and the way forward for musicians and lovers of their work. Press play!

Resources

The Copyright Act (2001)

Music Copyright Society loses licence to collect royalties

Music Copyright Society ordered to stop collecting royalties

Kecobo approves new body to collect royalties for publishers, authors and composers

Music Royalties and Human Rights: High Court Decision on Copyright Collective Management Cases

The royalties wars: who is fooling who?

Music Copyright Society of Kenya ordered to disclose accounts

The Fate of Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK)

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