Kenya loses Sh4 billion a year to pirates, says agency

Kenya loses Sh4 billion a year to pirates who illegally copy protected works, the copyrights watchdog has said.

More than 79% of all artistic work used in the country are either fake or are not benefiting the creative people behind them.

Musicians are worse off.

For every 10 songs played, nine are pirated or broadcast without the singer earning any money.

Kenya Copyrights Board legal counsel Edward Sigei revealed this during an open day held on Thursday.

Mr Sigei proposed that the law guarding intellectual property rights be amended to instil stiffer penalties to offenders.

He said the board had already submitted to the AG sections of the law they want changed.

Currently, persons convicted of piracy are either jailed for 10 years, pay a Sh800, 000 fine or both.

“Most pirates earn more than this. The fine should be increased and the sentence lengthened ,” Mr Sigei said. The board also wants to be empowered to compel premium content providers who use local content to pay more to artists.

The proposed changes would also exempt churches and other non-commercial public places from paying royalties for playing music or performing arts produced by other people.

Currently, each entity must pay a fee to collective management organisations such as the Music Copyright Society of Kenya, for playing music in public places.

The board is tasked with registering original audio, visual and written work and protecting it from pirates.

A recent report by the International Data Corporation showed that computer software could generate Sh7.4 billion annually and create thousands of jobs if Kenya curbs piracy.