Creatives industry jubilates as Copyright Bill enacted

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has enacted the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025, bringing to a close one of the longest-running legislative battles in Uganda’s creative industry.
The amendments update the 2006 Copyright Act, introducing stricter penalties for piracy, stronger digital protections against online infringement, and improved remuneration systems for creators such as musicians. These reforms are designed to reflect the evolving realities of the digital and commercial creative economy.
The development has been widely celebrated by musicians, performers, and other creatives, largely because Parliament retained Clause 9, a provision many artists consider the most critical element in protecting their work.
The clause guarantees that artists, particularly musicians, receive royalties whenever their music is played on radio, television, or used commercially by other entities.
The provision requires that when creative work is performed, broadcast, or communicated to the public, the creators must be compensated. This means that media houses and businesses can no longer freely use artists’ work without payment.
During debates and public campaigns around the Bill, artists rallied around the slogan “Don’t Touch Clause 9,” warning that removing the clause would have been a major setback for the industry.
Musician Edrisa Musuuza, popularly known as Eddy Kenzo, said the law will be strengthened further through the introduction of a digital Copyright Management System to track usage of creative works.
Opponents of the clause had argued that some musicians might lose out on free promotion through radio and television airplay. However, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka maintained that anyone who benefits commercially from promoting a song or creative work must first seek the creator’s permission or pay royalties.
With the law now passed, responsibility shifts to institutions such as the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), the Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS), the Uganda Federation of Music Industry, and the Uganda National Musicians Federation to popularise the law and sensitise artists about their rights and obligations.
While introducing the Bill for its Second Reading, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao noted that the legislation was necessary to address the persistent exploitation of creatives.
“Musicians are frustrated that their works are exploited, copied and played without any earnings from them. This Bill ensures that the intellectual property inherent in the creatives is rewarded appropriately,” Mao said.
The new law significantly increases penalties for copyright violations. Under the previous Act, offenders faced fines of up to 2 million Shillings, imprisonment of up to four years, or both. Under the amended law, violations under Sections 46, 47, and 49 now attract fines of up to 2,500 currency points (approximately 50 million Shillings), imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.
These penalties apply to offences such as broadcasting music without authorization or failing to pay royalties through approved collective management organizations.
The amendments also introduce stronger requirements for the registration of copyright assignments, licences, or transfers. Under the revised Section 13 of the 2006 Act, written assignments, licences, or transfers of copyright must be registered with the Registrar of Copyright within 60 days of signing. The law outlines procedures for registration and imposes penalties for non-compliance.
Although performers had initially resisted the requirement to register performing contracts, supporters argue that the measure will promote transparency and fairness.Proponents say contract registration will help track exploitative agreements involving record labels, producers, or broadcasters, ensuring that artists receive fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms.
However, some smaller and upcoming artists have expressed concern about the costs, paperwork, and time required for registration, arguing that the process may favour larger, more established artists.
Musician Sheebah Karungi welcomed the amendments, noting that the law strengthens the rights of dependants to inherit and control an artist’s works in the event of their death, an issue that has previously caused disputes within the industry.
The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025 also aligns Uganda’s copyright framework with key international standards and treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
By domesticating these treaties, the amendments introduce stronger regulations for internet-based activities, including technological protection measures to combat digital piracy. Uganda is already a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886).
The amendments reinforce the convention’s minimum standards, including automatic copyright protection, moral and economic rights for creators, and improved enforcement mechanisms suited to modern digital distribution.
The reforms also strengthen protections under the Rome Convention (1961), which safeguards the rights of performers, producers of phonograms, and broadcasting organisations. The convention provides performers with fair remuneration rights and protection against unauthorized recording or broadcasting.
In addition, the law incorporates provisions from the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances (2012), which strengthens protections for performers in audiovisual works such as films and videos, an important development for Uganda’s growing film and digital media sectors.These international frameworks also offer quicker, easier, and less costly dispute resolution mechanisms compared to traditional court processes.
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