Principal Legal Counsel at the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Oala Moi has stressed the importance of Music copyright and how it designates legal ownership.
He was speaking to the artists and musicians present at the Central Music Association awareness launch held this week.
Mr Oala told the artists to remember that in music there were only two distinct copyrights and they are the composition of music and sound recording, reminding them that their songs are their creative work and remain as their property.
He said: “The legal principle of ownership means that the lyricist controls and owns all the rights relating to the use and reproduction of the song. This includes the right to sell or assign the copyright and ownership to another individual or company.”
Mr Oala encouraged the artists to understand the importance and the difference between the two types of copyright for the sake of commercial and legal reasons.
“Commercial meaning these are the two common copyrights used to make money and from the legal aspects, if these copyrights are breached lawyers use this and the artists affidavit to prove to the court that the artist is still the owner of the copyright, whether it is the sound recording or composition.”