KAMPALA, Uganda — The government has proposed a 20-year cap on music copyright deals, a move aimed at giving artists more control over their work but one that has drawn criticism from industry stakeholders.
The provision is part of the Copyright and Neighboring Rights (Amendment) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament in May by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao. The bill, currently under review by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, seeks to prevent exclusive contracts that bind artists to a single label for extended periods.
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Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka defended the proposal, stating it would ensure creators regain control of their work.
“What we have put is that you cannot enter into a contract with a singer for 40 years. If you want, there is an upper cap. It must not be more than 20 years,” Kiwanuka told the committee on Thursday, Aug. 7. He added that the change would help artists like the late musician Kafeero, whose family could still benefit from his songs.
Kiwanuka explained that while user rights can be assigned, the copyright itself should perpetually belong to the creator. “The person who sang the song, forever and ever, that property belongs to him,” he said.
However, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwisho, raised a concern about the bill’s wording. She argued that the phrase “subject to the contract of assignment, licence or transfer” could render the 20-year cap ineffective if a contract specified a longer period. She called for the phrase to be removed to protect artists.
The proposal has also met resistance from within the music industry. Artist Sulaiman Kamulegeya, known as KS Alpha, argued that the 20-year cap could discourage long-term investment, as the true financial returns on an artist’s catalogue often only become significant after that period.
Charles Batambuze, executive director of the Uganda Reproduction Rights Organisation, echoed this concern, saying such matters are best handled in contracts. “The older the music catalogue grows, the more profitable it becomes,” Batambuze said. He warned that the provision could make Uganda’s creative industries unattractive to investors.
James Wasula, executive director of Afrigo Band, agreed, stating that a rigid 20-year reversion clause would contradict the spirit of a contract and could lead to investors losing their rights before they have recouped their initial investment. Wasula proposed the provision be removed entirely from the bill.
Meanwhile, musician and politician Hillary Kiyaga, a Member of Parliament, called for reforms to Collective Management Organizations, suggesting Uganda adopt a model similar to Kenya’s, where different bodies manage royalties for musicians, producers, and performers separately.
