Kenyan gospel musician Rufftone has spoken out against a recent High Court decision that stopped payments to artists from Skiza and Hello tunes. These services allow mobile phone users to set songs as ringback tones, generating income for musicians.
The court’s ruling came after the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) lost its license to collect royalties. The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) had previously revoked (MCSK’s) authority, citing issues with transparency and efficiency. As a result, artists are now uncertain about how they will receive payments for their music.
Rufftone expressed his frustration, saying that the decision affects many artists who rely on these payments for their livelihood. He emphasized the need for a clear and fair system to ensure that musicians are compensated for their work.
In 2022, a new law was passed to improve revenue sharing from ringback tunes. Under this law, artists are entitled to at least 52% of the revenue, with the remaining amount divided between telecom operators and service providers. However, with the current legal challenges, the implementation of this law has been complicated.
The Kenya Copyright Board has advised artists to be patient as they work on establishing a new system for royalty collection. In the meantime, many musicians, including Rufftone, are calling for swift action to resolve the issue and ensure that artists receive their rightful earnings.
By Kenyans