Musicians want UPRS boss investigated
Jun 25, 2019
“We want him suspended so that he doesn’t interfere with the investigation process like he always does," UMA spokesperson George Bush Kagoda (aka Bushington) said.
ARTISTS COPYRIGHT
KAMPALA - Ugandan musicians want Uganda Performance Rights Society (UPRS) boss James Wasula investigated over royalties.
While presenting their petition to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga on Tuesday, the group alleged that chief executive Wasula has been collecting royalties for their work, but not remitting the same to artists and musicians.
They delivered the petition under their umbrella body Uganda Musicians Association (UMA).
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga with members of Uganda Musicians' Association after a meeting in the Speaker's boardroom. Photo by Timothy Murungi
"We want him suspended so that he doesn't interfere with the investigation process like he always does," UMA spokesperson George Bush Kagoda (aka Bushington) said.
"In the meantime, Uganda Registration Services Bureau can appoint a caretaker as provided under Section 7(4) of the Copyright and Neighboring Act 2006."
The group claims they have tried everything within their powers to get hold of the royalties but have failed since Wasula allegedly has a web of connections with law enforcers.
UPRS is a body corporate with the sole mandate of collecting royalties on behalf of artists, including musicians, writers, and actors from the use of their works.
Royalty is a sum of money paid to a person, for example, a musician, actor or an author when their songs or piece of literature is used.
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga (seated) chatting with members of Uganda Musicians' Association in the Speaker's boardroom. Photo by Timothy Murungi
In the petition, the musicians also raised a myriad of issues. One of them is the mismanagement of the copyright law and failure of law enforcers to implement it.
They are demanding that the mandate to implement the piece of legislation should be moved from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to the justice ministry.
"Justice ministry is the line ministry for copyright-based industries and should, therefore, be the one to draw statutory instruments for the regulation of the sector," said Kagoda.
He also asked the Speaker to task the Uganda Communications Commission to pass a directive for broadcast stations to play more of local content to foreign content.