The Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP) has officially received the collective management operating license for 2023 from the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).

KAMP now administers the exclusive right to collect license fees from broadcasters and other commercial users of sound recordings and distribute royalties on behalf of its members, being the owners of sound recordings, in accordance with section 28 of the Copyright Act, Cap 130, Laws of Kenya.

“It has indeed been a long and arduous process, and we have emerged victorious. We are proud to note that, in pursuit of this license, our organisation has retained the integrity of our membership data and that no additional data was given to the regulator in exchange for the license,” said Angela Ndambuki, Chairperson KAMP.

“This license allows KAMP to better represent the interests of its members and manage the protection and effective enforcement of their music rights. As the collective management organisation for the recorded music industry in Kenya, KAMP is committed to protecting the rights of our members and providing them with the best possible service. We look forward to continuing to serve the recorded music industry in Kenya,” she added.

Earlier this week, in a meeting between KECOBO Executive Director, and Chairperson and CEO of KAMP, the regulator sought clarification on the nature of data captured in KAMP systems.

In an amicable agreement, both parties resolved to abide by the Data Protection Act and ensure all member details are within the custody of KAMP.

“KAMP is committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency and integrity in our work with both members and regulators. We are delighted to have achieved this milestone and commit to providing a professional, reliable, and effective service to our members’’ said Cs Maurice Okoth, CEO, KAMP.

“We plan to increase our collections to ensure our members receive more royalties. The broadcasters owe us over KES 300 million and we shall be collecting these arrears to distribute to our members during the next distribution scheduled for March 2023. We therefore urge all broadcasters to be compliant,” he added.

While acknowledging the challenges the organisation has faced, KAMP thanked KECOBO for granting them the license saying they look forward to working together to create a healthy environment for its members to continue investing in the music industry.