President Ruto orders 80 per cent of royalties be directed to artists

President William Ruto directed that the money collected from the creative industry, particularly from artists' work, 80 per cent of it should be directed towards artists.

The President said currently a larger portion of the money collected by Collective Management Organisations (CMO) on behalf of the artists is used to pay salaries and run office operations and only about 20 per cent of the royalties collected is what is left for the artist. He affirmed that royalties are meant for artists.

"It is my position and direction that 80 per cent of those resources should go to the artists," Ruto directed.

Speaking at the State Lodge in Eldoret City during the Kenya Music Festival State Concert, Ruto said the government is strengthening the copyright laws to protect artists' intellectual property and ensure they receive fair compensation for their work.

The head of state said the creative economy has unlimited opportunities for gainful employment and the government invests in it to unlock its full potential.

"We will continue to support the Kenya Music Festivals to identify and nurture the raw and potent talent in music, dance, and poetry found in our young learners," said Ruto.

We are investing in the creative economy to unlock the sector's immense opportunities in creating gainful employment opportunities. In the creative arts, we will continue to support the Kenya Music Festivals to identify and nurture the raw and potent talent in music, dance and… pic.twitter.com/jtJzZTxBWa

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) August 16, 2024

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Creative Economy, and Sports Kipchumba Murkomen has revealed the ministry's plan to reorganise the department to monetise talent. He says his ministry is working to streamline the sector to ensure the artists benefit from their work.

Murkomen has warned the CMOs from retaining a big share of the royalties they collect.

The CS said that the ministry is rolling out a new program to support talents across all the wards in the country. He additionally called upon the private sector to invest in the industry saying it has great potential to increase its profit margin and brand visibility as they support and invest in the creative industry.

In June this year, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) granted The Performing and Audio-Visual Rights (PAVRISK) a one-year license to collect and distribute artists' royalties. The board claimed the move to drop two CMOs was in line with government directives to increase artists' royalties to about 70 per cent of what is collected.