President Uhuru Kenyatta with gospel artist Rufftone at a past event. Kenyan musicians claim they have not been paid their 2017 royalties. [Photo/ghafla.com]
Musicians in the country have appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene to have them paid their royalties.
In a letter to the Head of State, the musicians, through the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), claim they have not received any revenue in the whole of 2017.
"Mr. President, 15000 Kenyan musicians had no coin to celebrate Christmas," reads the letter signed by MCSK chairman Albert Kiarie.
In July, the High Court barred MCSK from collecting royalties from entertainment spots on behalf of the musicians.
"For the whole of 2017, the musicians have not received their royalties despite their music being played in all radio and TV stations, and in hotels, pubs and PSV vehicles all over the country," reads further the letter seen by Sunday Standard.
According to the umbrella body of musicians, the decision by the Kenya Copyright Board (KCB) not to give them the licence to collect royalties on behalf of its 15,000 members was the cause of their woes.
"98 per cent of musicians in the country have authorised only the MCSK to collect royalties for them," Kiarie noted.
KCB granted the licence to collect royalties to the Music Publishers Association of Kenya.
MCSK is the umbrella body of song writers, composers, publishers and owners of other copyrighted musical works.