Musicians and creative industry stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the Performing and Audio Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK), endorsing it as the most capable organization to collect and distribute royalties to artists and audiovisual right holders.
The endorsement came during a public participation forum organized by the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) to gather views from creators and industry players on the registration and licensing of Collective Management Organizations (CMOs).
Led by Kericho-based gospel artist Pastor Joel Kimetho, Nairobi music publisher Gabriel Torome, and actor KaJogoo, the creatives praised PAVRISK for its accountability, transparency, and ability to manage royalties effectively.
“For the last one year, despite battling several court cases, PAVRISK has demonstrated that it can effectively manage all rights in the music industry,” said Pastor Kimetho.
PAVRISK Chairman Edwardo Waigwa urged KECOBO to renew the organization’s license, saying it had fully complied with all legal requirements under the Copyright Act 2001 and the Copyright (Collective Management) Regulations 2020.
“We have satisfied all conditions prescribed by the law, including the mandatory 70/30 rule in distributing funds collected by PAVRISK to artists,” Waigwa said.
He revealed that two weeks ago, the organization distributed over KSh 24 million to artists and Sh6.9 million to the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP) in accordance with a consent agreement between the two entities.
Waigwa, who was accompanied by Vice Chair Daniel Kibuchi, said the move demonstrated PAVRISK’s commitment to fairness and efficiency in managing royalties for both musicians and audiovisual creators.
The forum, held at the Social Health Authority (SHA), brought together musicians, film producers, CMOs, and other stakeholders to share their views on the future of copyright management in Kenya.
Currently, five organizations have applied to KECOBO for licensing as CMOs: PAVRISK, the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP–Copyright and Related Rights Ltd), Collective Management Services (CMS), and Film Makers Rights Achievers of Kenya (FRAK) Ltd.
Last year, KECOBO licensed PAVRISK as the sole multi-rights CMO for the music industry, but its operations were disrupted after rival organizations challenged the decision in court.
During the forum, speakers unanimously backed PAVRISK’s renewal, saying it had demonstrated professionalism and a genuine commitment to improving royalty management for Kenya’s creative sector.