Parliament Pressures Government for Overdue Copyright Law Reforms

Members of Parliament are increasing pressure on the delayed amendments to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act.

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, urged the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, to present the Bill amending the Act, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s procrastination.

Tayebwa highlighted that the Bill, initially proposed and drafted by private Member Hillary Kiyaga, had been ready for the first reading after merging with government amendments. However, Tayebwa lamented the government’s delay in advancing the Bill, urging the Attorney General to expedite its presentation.

Additionally, Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development, Phiona Nyamutoro, echoed the urgency of tabling the Bill, emphasizing the need to address the concerns raised by Ugandan artists regarding fair compensation for their creative works.

The Committee on Information, Communication Technology, and National Guidance, in response to a petition by the Uganda National Musicians Federation, emphasized the necessity of revising revenue sharing models for caller ring-back tunes (CRBTs) to ensure fair compensation for artists. The committee noted the current exploitation of artists by middlemen and called for equitable distribution of revenue.

While rejecting the proposal to dedicate 90 percent of airtime to Ugandan music, citing concerns about consumer choice and quality, legislators recommended imposing levies on software capable of transferring copyrighted content.

The committee also urged the government to reintroduce the Local Content Bill to address concerns related to promoting local content and supporting the development of the industry.

The Attorney General assured the House of ongoing efforts to address copyright issues and pledged to provide updates on the progress of the Copyrights and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Bill.