On Wednesday (4 October 2023) members of the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) led by their president Eddy Kenzo stormed the Uganda Parliament to witness and deliver their petition seeking to address more issues they feel pertinent to their works for inclusion in the amendment.
For a while now, the creative industry has been calling for an amendment to the Copyright and Neighboring Rights Act (2006) to meet the advancement in technology and the emergence of international practices that have changed the nature in which the copyright operates.
They also argue that the prevailing legal framework for the distribution of revenue collected from caller back tunes disadvantages them as most of the revenue benefits the telecom companies rather than the artists who should benefit more from their work.
The petitioners had a main plea that sought Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to indulge and task the minister of justice and constitutional affairs and all relevant authorities to amend the copyright and neighbouring act 2006 and incorporate the aforementioned proposals.
The UNMF members handed Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa their petition which he immediately allocated to Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro the National Female Youth Member of Parliament.
The Petition was read on the Floor of Parliament by Hon Phiona Nyamutoro and the Speaker sought to Understand why the bill had been delayed.
The Speaker tasked the Attorney general to clarify to which he said that the act was in his chambers for further deliberations.
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It is at this moment that the deputy speaker forwarded the petition to the committee on ICT to process and report back to the House in 30 days.
