Parliament has passed a bill that will see Kenyan artists get fairly compensated for their ringback tones. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2021 sponsored by Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga will see the artists get 52 percent out of the revenue generated from their Skiza Tunes.
Previously, artists received 16 percent, the Kenya Revenue Authority got 25 percent while 51 percent was retained by the telecommunication service provider. The amended bill now stipulates that artists will get 52 percent while both KRA and the telecommunications firm will each get 16 percent and PRSPs will get 9 percent.
Read: Win for Creatives as Parliament Drops Amendments to Copyright Act
During the debate, Acting Finance and National Committee Chairman Mark Nyamita remarked that an artiste had informed to the Committee that they had not received payments from collection agencies for an estimated eight months.
The National Assembly also passed an amendment allowing artists to receive their share of revenue directly from the government rather than through collection agencies, CBOs, or PRSPs.
The Bill is now awaiting to be signed into law by the President.
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