MPAKE publishes royalties paid to Kenyan acts

The Music Publishers Association of Kenya (MPAKE) has announced its inaugural distribution of revenue to musicians and other rights holders.

In a statement released on Friday, MPAKE stated that the distribution was as a result of joint revenue collected with the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP) and the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) between November 1, 2017, and December 31 the same year.

According to the statement, the total amount of revenue jointly collected between the three Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) is Ksh.4,677,130.76.

However, out of this, the amount to be distributed by MPAKE to its members is Ksh.1,856,314.68.

“Of this amount the board of MPAKE has elected to commit 70% of this revenue to distribution as per its licensing terms and international best practices,” read the statement.

“The remaining 30% has been committed to administration expenses and MPAKE has entered into debt agreements with suppliers and vendors to recover the initial set up costs in the future and to do so within the 30% that’s allocated for administrative expenses.”

MPAKE further adds: “The amount available for the inaugural distribution is Ksh.1,299,420.28 being 70% of the collections realised for November and December 2017.”

About 10% of this amount (Ksh.129,942.028) was allocated for members welfare, 35% (Ksh. 454,797.098) for national distribution, another 35% (Ksh.454,797.098) allocated for regional distribution while 20% (Ksh. 259,884.056) is to be distributed to foreign works used in Kenya.

In the national distribution, Willy Paul and Alaine’s hit ‘I do’ topped the list, pocketing Ksh.11,685, followed by Nyashinki’s ‘Mungu Pekee’ (Ksh.11,482) and Otile Brown’s ‘Alivyonipenda’ (Ksh.11,198).

Bruz Newton’s ‘Zigwembe’ came fourth on the national distribution category with Ksh.11,036 and Nyashinki’s ‘Malaika’ closing the Top 5 slots with Ksh.11,036 as well.