This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
On August 24, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) following a recent outcry over low royalties paid to musicians.
Speaking at the funeral of Benga musician John Ng'ang'a alias John De'Mathew, President Kenyatta stated that he had directed the two bodies to find out if there were any corrupt dealings among institutions mandated to collect royalties on behalf of authors, composers, arrangers, and publishers of musical works.
“Na pia kwa copyrights na pia tumeona pia labda huko kuna shida, na jana mimi niliamrisha DCI na watu ya EACC waanze upelezi huko tujuwe kama kuna shida huko ya watu kama wanakula pesa ambayo siyo jasho yao. Na hiyo itafanyika na tumesama tunataka report to be made public, na kama kwa ukweli kuna watu wanakula pesa za wenzao washikwe,” said President Kenyatta.
The move comes after artistes expressed outrage over MCSK's decision to send Sh2,530 as royalty payment to each member via M-Pesa, sparking a social media backlash.
