The Uganda Performing Right Society (UPRS) has defended its decision to distribute Shs216 million in royalties to musicians and other copyright holders after Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) president Edrisah Musuuza, better known as Eddy Kenzo, criticized the amount.
Kenzo recently questioned the planned payout, describing it as inadequate and arguing that the money would have little impact when divided among artists across the country. He also demanded greater transparency regarding how the funds were collected and the criteria used in sharing them.
“I saw our brothers from UPRS announcing that they would distribute about Shs200 million to Ugandan musicians. Honestly, that is unfair. How was the money collected and how exactly will it be distributed?” Kenzo asked, stressing that artists deserve to understand how revenues generated from their work are managed.
His concerns followed UPRS’s announcement that Shs216 million would be paid out to qualifying rights holders from income generated through licensing fees and the commercial use of copyrighted music by broadcasters, entertainment venues, event organizers and other businesses.
Responding to the criticism, UPRS Board Chairman Martin Nkoyoyo admitted that many musicians have legitimate concerns but said the current payout highlights the challenges facing Uganda’s copyright sector rather than a lack of commitment from the society.
According to Nkoyoyo, the latest distribution should be viewed as progress in a much larger effort to build a stronger system that allows creators to earn more from their work.
“The Shs216 million being distributed should not be seen as the end goal, but as part of a broader journey toward creating a sustainable copyright economy for Ugandan artists,” Nkoyoyo said.
UPRS explained that weak copyright enforcement, low compliance among music users and widespread unauthorized use of songs continue to affect collections. The society noted that many businesses, event organizers and media houses still use music without acquiring the required licenses, limiting the revenue available for artists.
Nkoyoyo also clarified that royalty payments are not shared equally among members. Instead, distributions are determined by documented usage of each artist’s work and existing distribution guidelines. Consequently, some members may receive only a few thousand shillings, while others could earn millions depending on how often their music was used during the assessment period.
The organization further acknowledged that monitoring music usage across the country remains a major challenge. To improve the situation, UPRS said it is investing in better tracking systems, reporting mechanisms and enforcement measures aimed at increasing collections and ensuring more accurate distributions in the future.
Despite the criticism, Nkoyoyo maintained that the latest payout forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda’s collective management system and restore confidence among creators.
He assured members that all money collected by UPRS is held in trust and distributed in line with established policies and internationally accepted collective management standards.
“The Board and Management remain committed to ensuring that every shilling collected is distributed fairly and equitably,” he said.
Don’t want to miss out on any story? For updates on all Sqoop stories, follow this link on Telegram: https://t.me/Sqoop and Whatsapp: https://whatsapp.com/channel