KENYA: Artists Take to the Streets to Demonstrate For 'Skiza Royalties' to be Released by Court

So does music in Kenya pay? Many ask that question whenever they think about the woes artists face in the country. It seems artists in Kenya can never catch a break.

One thing we do know is their fellow artists, whether they are more talented or less talented than they are, always seem to have much more to show for their work than they do.

Yesterday hundreds of artists from across the country took to the streets to demonstrate over their Safaricom ‘Skiza’ tunes royalties that were frozen in the MCSK’s bank accounts by the law courts.

Many artists attended the demo, from the big fish to the small fry across the street. The likes of Collo, Kenzo and Nonini were some of the big names to attend.

Later on Nonini took to social media to explain to his fans what the demo was all about. Check out what he posted below;

 

Yesterday Artists from all over Kenya held a peaceful demonstration in the CBD and we managed to drop our petition at the Office of the AG,Willy Mutungas office and Parliament. SKIZA PETITION Musicians have for long not received their rightful share of the Skiza royalties resulting in numerous complaints to the three CMO’s offices namely KAMP, PRISK and MCSK. It is to this effect that the three CMOs through their joint board of directors initiated talks with Safaricom to seek for lasting solution to artists’ woes. Safaricom came up with a Memorandum of Understanding with the three CMO’s where the royalties of the artists on the Skiza platform would be channelled through the Collective Management Organizations and disbursed immediately. This initiative was greatly supported by all artists’ forums and groups which met the three CMOs and agreed to work together in making sure artists eliminated middle men in the Skiza deal. The middlemen, that is, the Content Service Providers, have worked relentlessly against the artists by paralyzing activities that would lead to actualization of the Safaricom Skiza deal. Some include court battles, freezing MCSK accounts to name but a few. The demonstrations are thus meant to sensitize and push for resolve towards the Safaricom Skiza deal as the reverse would mean an action against the benefit and welfare of all artists in Kenya. We are asking the Government through the Attorney General to call all parties to the table for talks with a view to settling this matter expeditiously as artistes are suffering without the Skiza monies. The question on our end should be, why are the these content service providers not contented with the share offered but are still fighting to receive the artists share? All parties are therefore called to action to spearhead implementation of the Safaricom Skiza deal. Pesa kwa wasanii na sio pesa kwa PRSPs!!!!

A photo posted by Nonini (@noninimgengetrue) on Jan 13, 2016 at 1:51am PST