President Yoweri Museveni has approved a new system of copyright monitoring which seeks to improve the revenue of Ugandan musicians launched on 2 March 2025. The system will be tech-enabled and will track music aired in bars and performed on TVs or radios, thus ensuring artists are paid for their work.
The innovation created by State House scientists allows for the tracking of certain song usage over a specified duration. This frequency data will be used to calculate how revenue is split among different artists. For instance, a bar could acquire an entertainment license for Shs 1m, and the earnings will be shared depending on how often the music is played.
Eddy Kenzo, a popular musician and president of Uganda National Musicians Federation, has financed the system and has strongly supported its implementation. Kenzo said, “This will change the game for our artists.”
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The effective running of the system will be under The Uganda Communications Commission whilst The Uganda Police will ensure compliance by closing down non compliant businesses. This is in a bid to replenish the rampant problem of music piracy and boost the nascent creative industry in Uganda.
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This system claims it will bring financial stability to musicians. Its success will depend on the way it is rolled out. More details are expected as the plan takes shape in the coming months.