Days after Sauti Sol called out Azimio for utilizing their song “Extravaganza” at a rally, the copyright war is heating up.
Ezekiel Mutua, Chief Executive Officer of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), described politicians’ exploitation of artists’ works without compensation as unfair and immoral in an interview with KTN News.
The former KFCB chief claimed he has written to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to request that politicians pay creatives and artists properly.
Politicians have been known to use songs in their political campaigns, even going so far as to use artist phrases, but according to the MCSK chairman, they are not reimbursed.
Mutua is seeking that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) prevent any politician from running for office if they fail the integrity test by failing to compensate an artist for exploiting their song.
Mutua chastised the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) for the Azimio La Umoja and Sauti Sol dispute, but later explained that Azimio had paid the MCSK the proper amount before using Sauti Sol’s song.
He went on to say that the MCSK has the best interests of artists at heart, and that in the aftermath of Sauti Sol’s trauma, it has sent invoices to 47 presidential contenders.
“We’re attempting to clear up any misunderstandings and guarantee we achieve an agreement since copyright problems aren’t properly understood.” We granted a presidential contender a license (Raila Odinga). We enlisted the help of all 47 of them, and one of them phoned and paid for the license.
“We’re really doing a campaign to persuade the rest of them to pay, and we’re hoping they do because we earn royalties from them,” he said.
“Two weeks after we got money from the candidate, there was dispute concerning the adaption and synchronization of a video by Azimio,” he said. Bien of Sauti Sol has the right to go to court, but the client must also be aware of the scope of our license.”
Still on the subject, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) clarified that, despite having received a Public Performance License (PPL) that permits it to play both local and foreign music at its rallies, Azimio la Umoja had been denied.
However, it was unable to get a synchronization license, which may only be provided by the works’ composer and publisher. The boy band Sauti Sol was therefore justified in protesting the coalition’s infringement of their rights by performing their song.