Minister Mao urges artists to register their creatives to secure copy rights
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Nobert Moa, speaks during the celebrations to mark World Intellectual Property Day 2025 organised by USRB in Kampala, which was marked under the theme “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP”. PHOTO | SYLIVIA KATUSHABE
What you need to know:
- Mr Mao emphasised that protecting creativity is vital for economic growth, cultural preservation, and personal expression
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, has advised Uganda's artists to register their names, brands, and trademarks to secure their intellectual property (IP) rights.
While presiding over at the World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, 2025, Mr Mao emphasised that protecting creativity is vital for economic growth, cultural preservation, and personal expression.
"Music is not just entertainment. It drives economic growth, cultural preservation, and personal expression. Music is dynamic, and it continues to grow. I promise you that your talent will be protected because if it is not protected, you are not going to earn from it," Mr Mao said during the celebrations, which were themed "IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP".
The call comes as Uganda's music industry faces significant challenges, including piracy, cultural concerns, and copyright infringements. These issues have long plagued the industry, with many artists struggling to reap the full benefits of their work.
In a bid to address these challenges, President Museveni recently handed over a Copyright Management System to the Uganda National Musicians Federation, aiming to strengthen IP rights and provide better protection for creatives.
"When the tape recorders came, the main problem was recording someone's song on the radio and multiplying it for economic gains. Now technology should tell us who has played my song, where or what you have sung is for the other person," Mr Museveni said.
Mr Mao also encouraged established musicians to take a more active role in mentoring and grooming upcoming talents, guiding them through the challenges of the industry and educating them about the importance of protecting their brands.
"We hope those of you, whether you are called Jaaja [grandfather] of music, you owe us a duty to mentor the young ones... Help them understand the value of their intellectual property and show them how to protect it," he said.
The URSB Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwisho, emphasised the importance of registering works, noting that IP can be used as a tool for wealth creation.
"But what happens is that you have to register it with URSB, get a certificate. When you get a certificate, you can go to the banks, and the banks will value the amount of money that is in your music, books, computer applications, scientific work, among others," she explained.
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) is enhancing enforcement partnerships with law enforcement and judiciary stakeholders to address the challenge of piracy and copyright infringement in the country.
Chairman of the Board of Directors URSB, Prof Francis Butagira, noted that copyright infringement is becoming increasingly rampant, highlighting the urgent need for a copyright law, which the country is currently in the process of establishing.
Musicians and politicians alike have welcomed these efforts, emphasising the need for sustained awareness campaigns to increase public understanding of IP rights and their economic value.
Mawokota North County MP, Hillary Innocent Kiyaga alias Dr Hilderman, stressed that Uganda has made commendable strides in developing its IP framework, but sustained efforts are needed to address existing challenges.
"How are we prepared, that the law doesn't meet a snag on the way, how are we prepared to make sure that we do the necessary sensitisation to all the stakeholders?" Dr Hilderman asked, highlighting the importance of effective implementation and public awareness in protecting IP rights.
