Pubs Entertainment and Restaurants Association (Perak) and the Kenya Association of Hotel-keepers and Caterers (KAHC) has directed its members not to play local music in their premises.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the two entities advised their members to cease playing local music over harassment and intimidation by Performers Rights Society (Prisk) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp).
PERAK and KAHC are protesting the recent gazetted notice that require bars, hotels, restaurant, and related bar owners to pay 50% of copyright tariff.
They also accused Collective Management Organizations(CMOs) a body entitled to collect the tariff of raiding their premises and taking away musical instruments.
"Since CMOs has visited many of you demanding 50% Off the disputed tariff and in some instances the 100%. While doing this they are raiding some properties and taking away musical instruments," read the statement in part.
They urged their members not to pay any money and instead take pictures of the raids and share the details with the associations.
“We have instructed our legal counsel to appear on behalf of all our members as we move to court,” added the associations.