The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has drawn mixed reactions among legislators, particularly over a proposal to grant additional pay to producers and performers when their sound recordings or audio-visual works are commercially used in broadcasting and public performances.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, who moved the Bill for its second reading, said that the proposal responds to demands by the creative industry for more protection of their literary, scientific and artistic intellectual works.
“Musicians are frustrated that their works are exploited, copied and played without any earnings from them. This Bill ensures that the intellectual property that is inherent in the creatives gets rewarded appropriately,” Mao said during the House sitting on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
Hon. Stephen Baka, the Chairperson of the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said the provision creates systems for equitable sharing of revenue generated from the use of creative works, particularly in the digital realm.
“This Bill enhances remuneration mechanisms for the creative industry such as benefits from call back ringtones and provides for better compensation beyond the model of one-off payments,” Baka said.
Hon. David Kabanda (NRM, Kasambya County) raised concern over making legal provisions that cause radio or television stations which play an artist’s music, to pay the artist.
“The radio or television may benefit in playing these songs, but so do the artistes because they are being popularised?” Kabanda said.
Hon. Rachel Magoola (NRM, Bugweri District Woman Representative) who is also a performing artiste, noted that the purpose of the Bill would be defeated if broadcasting entities were to use creative works without remunerating their originators.
“It is internationally recognised that creators are compensated for their work. The radio stations that play any work, have the burden to compensate the creators of that work,” she said.
The Attorney General, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, clarified that the proposed law allows broadcasting stations to make arrangements with musicians to play their music.
“If an artiste has made music and has not requested for it to be promoted, the least you can do is to tell them that you would like to promote their work. Unless an artiste requests you to promote their music for commercial purposes, you will have to pay for it if you play it,” he said.
Hon. Michael Lulume (DP, Buikwe County South) urged the Committee to inform the House whether a cost-benefit analysis on the proposed clause was done, while interacting with the creatives.
“We need to know what the creatives benefit out of this and what they will could lose. We also want to know what the consumers of their creativity will benefit out of playing their music and what they may lose if they do not play it,” Lulume noted.
The Speaker, Anita Among halted debate on the Bill while reiterating the need for a cost-benefit analysis.
Parliament of Uganda
