Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the 2021 Copyright Amendment Act into law1 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
The Amendment Act also repeals provisions in the Copyright Act that established the procedure for takedown notices directed to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in respect of content that infringes copyright. The repeal of these provisions is anticipated to impact negatively on the ability of rights holders to restrain and prevent online infringements and may constitute a step backwards in the war against content piracy and the illicit trade of counterfeit products in the online environment.
Footnotes
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)
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