By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: Several bar owners and events organisers in Kampala are on tenterhooks after the newly appointed Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) bosses plan to launch an operation to enforce the Copyright law in Uganda.
The operation was announced in letter issued by Karamagi Kabiito and Rita Baguma Birungi, the UPRS Caretakers who were appointed by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) after suspending former boss James Wasula and his staff last week following alleged financial mismanagement.
The letter titled NOTICE OF INTENDED INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT’ which Kabiito and Baguma issued on Friday reads thus;
‘Notice is hereby given to all Commercial Users of Music, that in accordance with Sections 53 and 54 of the Copyright and Neighbouring Act 2006, the Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) will on Monday August 2019 commence inspections and enforcement in respect of unlicensed Use and unpaid fees/dues.” The letter continues “All users are therefore advised to immediately obtain licenses and /or settle outstanding fees/dues at UPRS offices to avoid the potential inconvenience of this intended exercise……” it should however be noted that in the past several musicians have been accusing UPRS bosses of allegedly collecting monies from owners of hangouts and events organisers who use their music although the same monies had never reached the musicians’ accounts.
