Singer Dan Aceda Appointed to Key Government Position Amid KECOBO Changes
Award-winning musician and entrepreneur Dan Aceda has officially been appointed to a government role.
Attorney General Dorcas Oduor named Aceda, alongside Sarah Wanjiru Migwi and Agatha Lutala Karani, as new members of the Board of Directors at the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).
The announcement was made through a gazette notice, where the AG confirmed that the three would serve a three-year term at the organization, beginning from April 25, 2025.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 of the Copyright Act, the Attorney-General appoints— Agatha Lutala Karani, Sarah Wanjiru Migwi, Dan Okoth Aceda, to be Members of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Copyright Board, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 25th April, 2025,” the notice read.
Dan Aceda, known for his impressive career in music blending R&B, neo-soul, and traditional Benga sounds, brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Beyond his music, he is a thriving entrepreneur behind SemaBOX Africa and has also made a mark in the film industry and other creative spaces.
However, their appointments come at a challenging time for KECOBO, which has recently been surrounded by controversy.
The organization has been criticized over alleged mismanagement of artists’ royalties and interference in the operations of Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) across the country.
KECOBO’s Ongoing Struggles With Royalties and Artist Representation
KECOBO has been accused of mishandling hundreds of millions of shillings meant for musicians. Specifically, the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) alleged that the board withheld Ksh300 million in royalties by transferring the funds into a government-managed account.
Moreover, KECOBO was said to be unfairly keeping 30 percent of the money, despite not being a registered CMO or directly representing any artist.
In April 2024, the situation escalated when the High Court intervened, prohibiting KECOBO from renewing licenses for three major CMOs: MCSK, PRISK (Performers Rights Society of Kenya), and KAMP (Kenya Association of Music Producers).
The court’s decision followed concerns about how the licensing process was handled and the general operations of these organizations.
Following the suspension of the three CMOs, KECOBO granted a one-year license to the Performing and Audio-Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK), which had previously operated as PRISK, to collect and distribute royalties exclusively.
Court Battles and New Conditions for Kenya’s Music Industry
However, this move by KECOBO did not go unchallenged. In September 2024, a court nullified KECOBO’s decision to make PAVRISK the sole collector of royalties, citing flaws in the process.
The court emphasized that the licensing was not done in accordance with established procedures.
In response, a new court order issued in April this year instructed KECOBO to issue six-month interim licenses to MCSK, PRISK, and KAMP under a joint licensing framework.
This marked a significant shift, restoring the CMOs’ ability to operate but under stricter conditions aimed at promoting accountability and transparency.
Under the new regulations, KECOBO and the CMOs are required to jointly conduct a detailed verification and validation of all CMO membership lists and music catalogues within two months.
Importantly, the results of this verification must be made public to ensure transparency for all stakeholders.
Additionally, CMOs must work together to develop fair and consistent royalty tariffs for the upcoming tariff year, aligning their structures with the Copyright Act and related regulations.
Another crucial requirement is that all royalties collected between June 4, 2024, and April 4, 2025, must be thoroughly accounted for.
CMOs are also expected to submit a distribution plan that meets the 70/30 rule — meaning at least 70 percent of royalties must go directly to the rights holders.
Evidence proving compliance must be presented within three months of receiving their licenses.
KECOBO has made it clear that the CMOs’ ability to follow these new terms will directly influence whether or not they will be allowed to operate in the future, as outlined by the Copyright Act.
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