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A section of musicians and stakeholders have endorsed the registration and licensing of Performing and Audio Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK) as the most suitable Collective Management Organization (CMO) to collect and distribute royalties to musicians and audio-visual right holders.
According to the musicians, PAVRISK has demonstrated its ability, accountability, and capacity to manage all rights in the wider music and audiovisual industry.
Speaking at a public participation forum organised by Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) to collect views from creators, stakeholders, and partners, the artists said PAVRISK was equal to the task to represent the creatives.
"For the last one year, despite battling several court battles, PAVRISK has demonstrated that it can effectively manage all rights in the music industry," Kericho-based gospel artist Joel Kimeto said.
Nairobi-based music publisher Gabriel Torome and audio-visual actor KaJogoo echoed similar sentiments.
PAVRISK chairman, Edwardo Waigwa, while presenting his views, appealed to KECOBO to consider issuing them with a renewal license to give the organization continued legal backing to collect and distribute royalties to the creatives.
"We have satisfied all the conditions and legal requirements prescribed by the Copyright act 2001 and Copyright (collective management) regulations 2020, including the mandatory 70/30 rule in distribution of funds to artists that were collected by PAVRISK, " he said.
Waigwa, who was accompanied by his vice chairperson Daniel Kibuchi, said, two weeks ago, PAVRISK distributed more than Sh24 million to artists and Sh6.9 million to KAMP Copyright and Related Rights as per consent entered between the organisations.
The public participation, which was held in Nairobi, brought together the creators, CMOs, stakeholders, and partners in the creative industry.
Five companies have applied to the regulator, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), seeking to be licensed as CMOs mandated to collect and distribute royalties to the creatives and audio-visual right holders.
The companies which submitted their application include PAVRISK, Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP - Copyright and Related Rights Limited, Collective Management Services (CMS) and Film Makers Rights Achievers of Kenya (FRAK) Ltd
Last year, KECOBO licensed PAVRISK as the sole multirights CMO to manage all rights in the music industry, but other CMOs that lost the bid challenged the decision in court, thus cribbling PAVRISK's operations.
During the forum, speaker after speaker endorsed PAVRISK's application, saying the organisation has demonstrated that it was committed to bring meaningful change in the creative industry for the benefit of creators, musicians and audio-visual right holders.
