The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has tasked the Attorney General, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, to table the Bill amending the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, 2006 expressing discontent with delays on the government side.
The Bill was initially proposed and drafted by a private Member, Hon. Hillary Kiyaga (NUP, Mawokota County North), in agreement with the government, resolved to merge his amendments with those of the government into one.
“Attorney General you need to push the Prime Minister to get this Bill on the order paper. We granted a member permission to draft the Bill and he has been pushing that his Bill is ready to be tabled - we need this Bill as early as possible,” says Tayebwa.
The Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development (Minerals), Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro, also expressed the urgency for the government to table the Bill.
“It is very frustrating; these Ugandans are stranded on how to fruitfully harness the benefits of their sweat, the work they have put in overtime and everything in their petition can be addressed in the amendment,” says Nyamutooro.
This while responding to the report of the Committee of Information, Communication Technology, and National Guidance on the petition by the Uganda National Musicians Federation on amendments to the Copyrights and Neighbouring Rights Act, 2006.
The report presented by the deputy chairperson of the committee, Hon. Tonny Ayoo, was in agreement with petitioners on the need to revise charges for caller ring-back tunes (CRBTs) to ensure a fairer distribution of revenue in the percentage to be retained by artists.
On the quest for broadcasters to dedicate 90 percent of airtime to Ugandan music as a way of promoting local content and supporting the development of the industry, the committee observed that it was both unreasonable and impractical as talent globally is dictated by quality.
“The proposed 90 percent music airplay will be challenged by the consumers for being unfair and an intrusion of their freedom and right to exercise their choice of content or entertainment,” says Ayoo.
