Big Eye Moves to Sell Music Rights After Copyright Bill Passes

Ugandan singer Big Eye StarBoss, real name Ibrahim Mayanja, has moved quickly to cash in on the newly passed Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Bill 2025.

He says he is now offering rights to his music for five-year periods, inviting interested individuals to buy the rights and earn from his songs during that time.

Once the period ends, the rights return to him, allowing him to either renew the deal or offer them to someone else.

The move comes as the new law pushes for tighter control over the commercial use of music and aims to ensure artistes earn from their work.

Now that the Copyright Amendment Bill has been passed by Parliament, it will go to President Yoweri Museveni to be signed into law so it becomes active. This is now business time. To all business people, I am offering my music rights for five year durations. During that time, you can use the music and earn from it. When the five years end, the rights return to me and I can choose to give them to someone else or keep them. Now everyone will have to pay to use music. So we sign for five years. Come for business. It is business time.

Parliament passed the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Bill 2025 on March 17, 2026.

Uganda National Musicians Association president Eddy Kenzo attended the sitting, alongside artistes including Sheebah, Fik Fameica, Halimah Namakula, Lilian Mbabazi, and Joanita Kawalya, among others.

The bill now awaits assent from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni before it becomes law.