UPRS holds AGM amid scrutiny over royalty payouts

The Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) is today holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Uganda Business Facilitation Centre (UBFC) in Kampala, bringing together members, industry stakeholders, and board officials to discuss the future of royalty collection and distribution in Uganda.

Held under the theme "Let Music Pay," the meeting comes at a time when the country's royalty management system is under intense public scrutiny, following complaints from several artists over recent royalty payouts.

During the AGM, the UPRS Board and Management are expected to update members on the society's performance over the past year, ongoing reforms, and strategies aimed at improving royalty collection and ensuring musicians earn more from their creative works.

The meeting follows UPRS's recent announcement of a Shs216 million royalty distribution to approximately 4,500 registered members, with payments made directly through mobile money and bank transfers.

A key focus of this year's AGM is the society's drive towards modernising royalty collection through technology. UPRS says it is working with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to introduce automated digital monitoring systems that will improve the tracking of music usage across radio stations, television, public venues, and other licensed users.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Board Chairman Martin Nkoyoyo acknowledged that while the latest payouts were an important milestone, they still fall short of the true value of Ugandan music.

According to Nkoyoyo, the industry's biggest challenge remains low compliance among businesses and institutions that are legally required to obtain music licences before publicly playing copyrighted works. To address this, UPRS is expanding grassroots sensitisation and enforcement efforts across the country.

The meeting also observed a noticeably low turnout, with many musicians and key industry stakeholders absent despite the AGM's significance. Among those who could not attend was singer Phina Masanyalaze, who is mourning the loss of her mother.

UPRS officials acknowledged her absence and extended their condolences, while encouraging members to remain actively engaged in shaping the future of the country's royalty management system.