Magoola Calls For Better Royalty Systems For Ugandan Artistes

Veteran singer and legislator Rachel Magoola has spoken about the challenges facing Uganda’s creative economy, saying the sector is far bigger than many people think.

While appearing on the NBS After 5 program, the lawmaker explained that music receives most of the attention but contributes only about 0.5 percent of the entire creative sector.

Magoola said the industry also includes film, fashion, theatre, writing, media, and many other creative professions.

She stressed the need for stronger copyright laws to protect artists and ensure they earn fairly from their work.

According to her, many creatives receive very little in royalties because collection currently happens from only a small number of venues.

Many bars and entertainment spots play music, but they do not contribute to royalty collection. This is why some artistes end up receiving as little as UGX 60,000.

Magoola also revealed that she is helping to re-draft Uganda’s national cultural policy together with the National Planning Authority and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

The policy aims to strengthen the creative sector, attract investment, and create better support systems for artistes across the country.

She also highlighted the role of intellectual property, saying properly registered works could help creatives secure bank loans and grow their businesses.

Magoola further proposed the creation of a Creative Industry Council that would coordinate training, licensing, royalty collection, and tax support.

Uganda’s creative economy is vast and full of potential. But to fully realize it, we need structured systems, proper copyright enforcement, and recognition of every creator’s contribution.