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Tanzanian artistes set to share Sh200 million in royalties

Actor Bakari Mbelemba  a.k.a.’Mzee Jangala’  chats with another artiste during a meeting with Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister Mwakyembe in the city yesterday. PHOTO | ANTHONY SIAME

What you need to know:

  • Basata official Augustine Makame said yesterday that the money will be paid to the artistes any day from today (Thursday)

Dar es Salaam. A total of Sh206 million will be disbursed to 1,934 music artistes as royalty collected for their work during 2017/18 financial year, the National Arts Council, Basata, has said.

Basata official Augustine Makame said yesterday that the money will be paid to the artistes any day from today (Thursday).

“The money was collected from via charges on musical works played on Television and Radio stations, shows and concerts of artists as well as in clubs and bars,” he said.

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According to him, the disbursement of the dividends for 2018/19 will be announced later.

Meanwhile, Information, Culture, Arts and Sports minister Harrison Mwakyembe said a total of Sh194 million has already been collected as royalties for July 2018 to June 2019.

“TV and Radio stations alone have contributed Sh174 million during the period, and the amount is expected to grow,” he noted.

Dr Mwakyembe also said that the government has prepared a system that will see every individual or institution required to pay for artistic work does so whenever and wherever such item is used.

“The system to be put in place will track and charge all users of Tanzanian music whether in hotels, private cars, public transport, bars, clubs and other places,” he said.

“From today (yesterday) onwards, no one will access the music for free,” he added.

The system, according to him will help to collect more revenues from the industry and pay bigger royalties to the artists in the future.

“Take it from me that from next year your royalties will grow to billions of shillings and you will forget this Sh206 million,” he said.

However, a bongo flava artist, Nickson Simon - also known as ‘Nikki wa Pili’ - warned the government to ensure that the system will not kill the local music market.

“The same system has killed the Kenyan music before. I advise the government to borrow a leaf from Kenya so as to avoid mistakes committed there,” he said.

He added that the government should make foreign music more expensive to play in those places so that the majority would opt for local songs.

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