A cross section of Ugandan Musicians and artists has Tuesday petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga over the exploitation of their talent.
The group comprised Sophie Gombya, King Michael, Sam Gombya, Phina Mugerwa and Rena Nalumansi.
Under their umbrella body Uganda Musicians Association , they said that although they engage in a tedious process of composition and production, their final products are exploited and not adequately remunerated.
They cited the use of their songs as Caller Tunes by telecom companies, which end up taking 80 per cent of the proceeds. The musicians add that the 20 per cent is then shared by producers and middlemen.
George Bush Kagoda, also known as Producer Bushington , the association spokesperson, requested that the proceeds should be shared at a 60-40 per cent rate in order to give artists an opportunity to benefit from their talent and skill.
The musicians and artists also want Government through the Uganda Communications Commission UCC to implement the 70 per cent local content provisions, in order to ensure that Ugandan music gets adequate airplay on radio stations. Bushington said that Ugandan music by Ugandan artists has now been replaced by West African songs, mainly from Nigeria.
Kadaga promised to review the concerns raised by the musicians, saying that some of the issues they are raising are pertinent.
