Musicians trained in managing windfall from political campaigns

Kenya Copyright Board Executive Director Edward Sigei (right) during training for local musicians. Election time and December festivities are a make or break season for local artistes. [Photo: Courtesy]

The Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) has warned local musicians against exploitation by politicians and entertainment business owners.

Speaking at a seminar to train local musicians in managing their careers for maximum financial returns, Kecobo Executive Director Edward Sigei cautioned the artistes against entering into deals without written contracts. This comes as the demand for artistes and their services soars during December festivities and the 2017 General Election campaigns.

According to Kecobo, local artistes needed to enhance their financial literacy now more than ever in order to make sustainable decisions.

At least 60 musicians from the region turned up for the highly interactive seminar held at Wogect Hotel in Mombasa.

Peter Siku, a musician from Mombasa, aptly captured the dilemma musicians face, especially during elections, when they are exploited by politicians for lack of knowledge about their rights.

“Politicians are coming to us and asking us to compose songs in their honour; sometimes they even ask us to remix other musicians’ tunes to praise them in our songs,” Mr Siku noted.

Sigei said artistes must demand written contracts signed by all parties involved and indicating what they stand to gain from any engagement. The board further cautioned the artistes against violating copyright laws.

“As an artiste, you have an economic right to your music. However, remixing someone else’s music without his authority is going against moral and economic rights,” said Mr Sigei.

Kecobo is mandated with the administration and enforcement of copyright and related rights in Kenya.

Sigei advised artistes to forge collaborations with fellow musicians and enter into contracts on revenue sharing.

Mindset change

He said the main objective of the training was to enable the musicians to know their rights and conduct their professions as businesses.

“For you to transition from a mere musician to a businessman, you must undergo a mindset change. It includes having a strategy to achieve what you have set out to achieve,” he said.

The board is also responsible for licensing and supervising the activities of collective management societies and maintaining an effective data bank on artistes and their work.

The collective management societies licensed and supervised by Kecobo include Music Copyright Society of Kenya, Performers Rights Society of Kenya (Prisk) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp), who were also represented during the training.

Sheba Njagi, a financial freedom trainer from Centonomy Ltd, challenged the artistes to adopt the mindset of business entrepreneurs.

“You should focus on anything that is putting food on your table like a business. It has to live beyond you,” she challenged the musicians.

The musicians were also trained in knowing how to identify opportunities and take advantage of them from a business perspective.

Identify gaps

“Look for opportunities that others do not see and fill the unexploited space. Learn to identify gaps and satisfy the demand,” said Ms Njagi.

The musicians also gained skills in managing fans’ expectations, resources and debt.

“I lacked ideas but now I have been awakened. I realised that I have been asleep,” said musician William Rodger Mongo after the training.

Caroline Sakwa described the training as timely.

“I learnt that I need to think like an entrepreneur,” she said.

According to Sigei, Kecobo will conduct similar training in other parts of the country.