Phiona Nyamutoro: Copyright law to benefit all Ugandan creatives

• Phiona Nyamutoro says the new Copyright Law will benefit all Ugandan creatives, not just musicians.
• The law is expected to protect works, ensure fair royalties, and promote international competitiveness.
• Championed by Eddy Kenzo’s UNMF, the reform is seen as a foundation for Uganda’s creative economy.

Yesterday saw the launch of President Yoweri Museveni’s new music album at Speke Resort Munyonyo for the presidential campaign. This occasion also turned into more than just a celebration of art and politics as it also became a platform to highlight the progress of the Copyright and Neighboring Rights law. This is expected to be an historic reform for the country’s creative sector.

State Minister for Energy, Phiona Nyamutoro, who also happens to be the wife of singer Eddy Kenzo, used the occasion to emphasize how far Uganda has come in protecting the rights of its creatives.

Nyamutoro is the legislator who tabled the copyright bill in Parliament last year, a move that has been strongly championed by Kenzo’s Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) in the music industry.

Speaking about the matter, the aspiring Nebbi District Woman MP hopeful said the law is not only for musicians but a foundation for all creative industries to thrive.

“The Copyright Law isn’t going to benefit only musicians, it’s going to benefit all creatives in different sectors,” she explained.

She noted that with the law in place, Ugandan content creators will now be better positioned to protect their work, compete internationally, and build sustainable careers.

“We shall be looking at safeguarding creative works, enhancing competition, and improving the quality of our works so that they can match up to international standards,” Nyamutooro added.

Additionally, the Minister described the law as a timely intervention that lays the ground for Uganda’s creative economy to grow.

“I think this is a very good foundation that has been laid, and we can’t wait for what the future holds,” she said.

The passage of the copyright bill has been one of the biggest themes for Uganda’s creative industry in recent years. For months, the Uganda National Musicians Federation, led by Eddy Kenzo, has been lobbying for reforms to end exploitation in the creative industry.

The Big Talent boss and the UNMF argue that many Ugandan musicians live in poverty despite their popularity, largely because of piracy and lack of legal frameworks to enforce royalties. They therefore believe that once this is passed which is almost in the completion stages, creatives will become wealthy.