Music Copyright Society of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Ezekiel Mutua has exonerated Azimio One Kenya Alliance Presidential campaign team for using Sauti Sol’s music during the unveiling of Raila Odinga’s running mate on Monday.
Mutua said the campaign team for Raila Odinga had the right to use the music since it had been licensed by MCSK at a cost of more than Sh560,000 to use local and international songs until May next year.
Addressing the media in Nakuru, he said the move by the Boy Band to embarrass their client (Azimio One Kenya Alliance) was ill-advised.
“I do not want to say if Sauti Soul was right or wrong but they should have let MCSK handle the issue because it is the Collection Management Organisation (CMO) mandated to handle such matters,” said Mutua.
He faulted the Kenya Copyrights Board (Kekobo) for issuing a statement regarding Sauti Sol’s issues with Azimio without consulting the rightful authority who is the CMO.
“Kecobo complicated the matter when it issued a statement supporting Sauti Sol. Azimio is the only Presidential campaign team that has paid the music copyright license out of all the 47 candidates and this move will discourage others,” he said.
Mutua said any issue from the use of the Extravaganza song should have been dealt with administratively and amicably.
“We want to bring the matter to a close, this is a matter between us and Sauti Sol and the other party should stay away,” he said.
"Mutua petitioned the government to scrap off Kecobo claiming that it has been frustrating their role of collecting music revenue with MCSK collection dropping from close to Sh1 billion previously to less than Sh2 million currently,” he said.
“MCSK is a limited company with employees to sustain, how are the CMOssupposed to survive if they are not collecting?” he posed.
He revealed that their revenue had reduced by 90 per cent since the inception of Kecobo and vowed to change the situation.
