Ugandan musicians have long found new ways to keep old songs alive, with younger artists returning to classics and giving them fresh sounds.
That practice, however, can raise a difficult question: what happens to the original creator when another artist wants to remake or remix the song?
Parliament amended Uganda’s copyright law earlier this year, bringing fresh attention to the rules around reworking existing music.
For veteran Kadongo Kamu singer Lord Fred Sebatta, the changes could make it possible for a new generation to put its own spin on his classics.
Speaking on NBS After 5, Sebatta welcomed the possibility but said the industry still needs to understand how such deals would work.
That could be possible, but it has processes it should follow. When you look at the copyright law, yes, it was amended, but people have not yet understood it. We have to sensitise people about it and ensure that it is put into practice.
Permission alone, however, does not settle the matter.
The real conversation begins when the original composer, the artist doing the remake and the producers sit down to work out who gets what.
We want to really learn about everything. For example, how would that contract or agreement between the artist who wants to redo or remix the song and me, who wrote and sang the song, look like? How do we even arrive at it? What does it mean for me, the original composer, the person who wants to redo it, and even the people who will produce it?
There is clearly still a lot to figure out, but Sebatta is not closing the door on artists revisiting the classics.
He believes the possibilities will become clearer as the industry learns how the copyright law works and how to handle the agreements surrounding such projects.
There is still a lot to learn, but I believe in the future all will be possible.
Lord Fred Sebatta says he is open to collaborations with the new generation as long as copyright is enforced.#NBSAfter5 #NBSUpdates pic.twitter.com/dlem9hCueO
— NBS After 5 (@NBSAfter5) July 30, 2026