Regulation board reveals why it flexed its muscle on The Music Copyright Society of Kenya

dennis kibet

February 21, 2017 12:23 PM

The perennial unresolved issues that continue to dog the Music Corporate Society of Kenya (MCSK) will be a thing of the past if the new measures taken by Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) are anything to go by.

MCSK was the first casualty of the stiff regulations meant to protect artists from rogue Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) after KECOBO declined to renew their license.

In a press release, KECOBO cited failure by MCSK to present audited financial statements, a list of its members and amounts each received in royalties.

Kenyan artists took to streets in 2014 to protests over low royalties’ inspite of the massive airplay they received. MCSK was viciously attacked for misappropriating members’ money, allegations they refutedat the time.The bad publicity seems to be catching up with the society that will remain moribund until they put their house in order.Edward Sigei premised the board decision to reject renewing MCSK license on non-conformity to the laid down procedures.He was quoted as saying:“In the absence of audited financial statement and a list of members who were paid royalties in the last one year, the Board found that the society did not qualify for renewal since an assessment of thesociety’s performance for the past year was not possible. As such the application for renewal was rejected”KECOBO is involving stakeholders in coming up with a ‘workable Collective Rights Management Regulatory framework that promotes transparency, accountability and good governance among (CMOs)’.The regulations forums will be held in the following counties:Nairobi 21st Feb 2017 Louis AuditoriumEldoret 23rd Feb 2017 Ndupawa Guest HouseKisumu 28th Feb 2017 Jumuia HotelMombasa 2nd March 2017 Wogect HotelIsiolo 7th March 2017 Silver Bells HotelThis is a good tiding for Kenyan artists whose fame does not matchtheir financial muscle and the more reason to be in attendance in theforums.

dennis kibet