Meseach Semakula Questions Why Copyright Law Discussions Focus Only on Musicians

President Museveni recently approved a new Copyright Management System developed by scientists at State House, aiming to ensure that musicians receive fairer compensation for their work.

This move follows growing pressure from creatives, particularly musicians, who argue that the current copyright law fails to adequately protect their intellectual property.

Meseach Semakula, a respected figure in Uganda’s music industry, recently shared his views on the matter in an interview.

While much of the conversation surrounding copyright reform has focused on musicians, Semakula believes that any development should address the needs of all content creators, not just those in the music industry.

He highlighted that many people mistakenly think copyright laws only apply to musicians.

Furthermore, he questioned why the media has largely concentrated on musicians, when media practitioners themselves should also be advocating for stronger copyright protections, as the law affects them too.

Semakula urged all creative professionals, including filmmakers, writers, and artists, to come together and push for amendments to the copyright law.

He also commended Eddy Kenzo, president of the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), for his passionate advocacy on behalf of these necessary changes.

While acknowledging that a copyright law exists, Semakula emphasized that it is not fully effective and needs to be updated to better protect creatives.

In conclusion, his message was clear: strengthening the copyright law will benefit not only musicians but all content creators in Uganda.

He called for a united effort from all creatives to ensure their intellectual property is properly safeguarded.