The Team Leader of UgaTunes, Shadrack Kisame, has said the recently introduced Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 is a crucial tool to ensure fairness in the music industry, particularly targeting players who have profited from music without paying royalties.
"We at UgaTunes pay royalties. There are other players in the same space, like Howebiz, MP3Jaja and DJ Erycom, who've been earning from Ugandan music for over two decades without paying royalties. The Copyright Bill comes in to flag such players," he said during an interview with Canary Mugume on Next Big Talk hosted by Next Radio on Saturday.
Kisame added that the bill is a win for everyone across the creative value chain.
"Managers, songwriters, and other stakeholders should celebrate the passing of the Copyright Bill. URSB recognizes that even if you don't formally register your intellectual property, it still belongs to you, and you own the copyright. However, registration becomes important when you introduce the aspect of commercialization," he said.
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Kisame further highlighted the importance of organizational structures in the creative industry, noting that globally some of the most famous artists operate under highly organized ecosystems run by executives, even if the artists themselves are often disorganized.
"Some of the artistes you look up to, like in Nigeria, the USA and others, are often high on weed and may never attend meetings, yet because they have an ecosystem and learned people running their organization, things work. Let's not limit the organization of the industry to just artistes," he said.
His remarks come shortly after government, through Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao, introduced the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025.
The proposed legislation seeks to modernize Uganda's copyright framework, align it with international standards, and ensure creators benefit more fairly from their intellectual work.
Mao described the bill as a "game-changer" for Uganda's creative industry, which spans musicians, filmmakers, writers, and other artists.
"This bill will provide stronger protection for creators, streamline the sector and introduce tougher penalties for piracy and copyright infringement," he said.
Key reforms in the bill include measures to address long-standing challenges faced by Uganda's creative community, particularly the widespread unauthorized use and distribution of artistic works.
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One notable provision introduces a revenue-sharing model for caller ringback tones, a popular telecom service that allows callers to hear music instead of a standard ringing tone.
Under the proposed structure; authors and performers receive 60% of the revenue, telecommunications companies take 31% whilst aggregators receive 8.5%.
The bill is designed to ensure artists receive a larger share of earnings from the use of their music and other creative works, especially in the digital era.
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), which oversees intellectual property rights in the country, has welcomed the proposed reforms, noting that they could strengthen Uganda's creative economy by providing legal protection and improved opportunities for monetization.
The agency also anticipates that the updated copyright framework will help curb piracy, a persistent issue undermining artists' earnings.
Industry observers say the bill reflects the government's growing recognition of the creative sector's economic potential, including its contributions to employment, cultural expression, and innovation.
If enacted, the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 is expected to create a more structured and transparent system for managing intellectual property rights while encouraging investment in Uganda's cultural and creative sectors.
Artists and stakeholders have long advocated for stronger legal protections to ensure fair compensation for their work, particularly as digital platforms reshape how creative content is produced, distributed, and consumed.
