Music Copyright Society of Kenya ordered to release artistes' pay

The Music Copyright Society of Kenya has been ordered to pay a group of gospel artistes their royalties.

Justice Fred Ochieng issued the orders on September 29 after 14 Musicians filed a case at the High Court in Nairobi claiming that MCSK had declined to release their dues after they were released by Safaricom.

Through lawyer Gikunda Miriti, the musicians claimed Safaricom had released their money but MCSK was holding onto it.

Some of the musicians who are expecting to take home millions are Eunice Njeri (Sh6.2m), Joy Wairimu (Sh1.7 m), Paul Mwai (Sh1.4m) and Henry Waweru (Sh1.07m) while a majority will get less than Sh1m.

The musicians led by Lydia Joy Kairimu, the composer of the song Mungu Najua Haujanisahau, say through MCSK, they were introduced to a company called Expedia, formerly Liberty Africa Ltd.

They claim the company was to give them the 'skiza' codes to have their songs run as 'skiza tunes', a programme run by Safaricom.

They would then be paid by Safaricom through the company. But since 2009, the musicians, who according to data released by Safaricom have earned huge sums of money, did not get any cash. Mr Miriti said even after an officer from MCSK, Laz Muli, promised to pay them, he had not  done so.