Ezekiel Mutua claps back at Nonini's allegations over royalty distributions
Showbiz
By
Fay Ngina
| Feb 06, 2024
Ezekiel Mutua, the Chief Executive Officer of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), has hit back at allegations raised by renowned rapper Nonini.
The dispute centers the distribution of funds collected by MCSK, with Nonini accusing the organization's directors of favoring themselves over the artists they represent.
According to a document shared by Nonini, a staggering Sh109 million was collected in 2023, yet a mere Sh10.5 million found its way to the artists.
Taking to X, Mutua refuted these claims, casting Nonini as a "fugitive" involved in previous financial misdeeds as a director of MUPAKE & PRISK.
He accused Nonini of spreading falsified documents on social media, alleging these were manipulated accounts from MUPAKE for the years 2017 to 2019, crafted to mislead and exploit artists. A
ccording to Mutua, such actions are part of a pattern of theft from musicians, a practice MCSK is keen to eradicate.
In his tweets, Mutua outlined steps taken by MCSK to address these allegations, including reporting Nonini and his associates to the police, to prosecute them for their past actions.
He also criticized the circulation of what he termed "fake documents," arguing that they were part of a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining MCSK's credibility.
Mutua further defended MCSK's payment distributions, mentioning a recent payout where the highest earner received Ksh757,000, a figure that starkly contrasts with the claims of insufficient payouts.
He emphasized the organization's use of a "scientific distribution method" to ensure fairness in the allocation of funds to artists.
To promote transparency and accountability, Mutua highlighted MCSK's initiatives, including a public notice issued three weeks before the latest distribution.
This notice was intended to inform members about the distribution procedures and schedule, reinforcing MCSK's commitment to openness in its operations.
Mutua assured that a full report on the distribution would be made available after the process was completed, urging patience and trust from the members and the public.