Kenya – Copyright Amendment act

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the 2021 Copyright Amendment Act into law[1]  on 4 April 2022. It introduces a new royalty sharing formula which entitles musicians and performing artists to receive a guaranteed 52% of revenues generated from the licensed use of music for ring-back tones used by telecommunications companies.[2]

It will come as some relief to rights holders that the deeply concerning provisions in the Copyright Amendment Bill that purported to repeal provisions in the Act relating to the procedures for takedown notices that can be directed to Internet Service Providers in respect of infringing online content did not survive the third reading of the Bill by the Kenyan Parliament.   These provisions were therefore not included in the Amendment Act.

[1] President Kenyatta signs five parliamentary bills into law | The Presidency [2] Artists will be billionaires, Mutua says after Uhuru signs Bill (the-star.co.ke)

Stephen Hollis

Partner | Trade Mark Attorney

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Godfrey Budeli

Partner | Trade Mark Practitioner

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