Award-winning musician Nikita Kering has taken the fight for fair compensation of Kenyan artists to the continental stage, addressing royalty and intellectual property rights at the African Union (AU) headquarters.
In a statement shared via her X account on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Kering announced that she had represented Kenyan artists at the AU, highlighting the ongoing challenges creatives face in receiving fair payment for their work.
“Today, I represent Kenyan artists at the African Union HQ to address the unfair pay from CMOs and digital platforms—and to push for AU support in protecting our intellectual property. It is an honour,” she wrote.
Kering noted that the issue lies partly with Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) and digital streaming platforms, which have long been criticised for offering poor returns to the creators who drive the music industry.
Long-Standing Grievances
Kenyan musicians have for years voiced frustrations over how royalties are handled in the country. Bodies like the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) and the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) have been at the centre of these complaints.
In August 2019, rappers Khaligraph Jones and King Kaka revealed they had received only Ksh2,500 in royalties from MCSK despite years of successful music releases. Khaligraph later denounced the organisation, vowing not to let it manage his royalties again.
The issue persisted in 2022 when artists Wangechi and Nikita Kering herself shared that they received a mere Ksh1,215.95 from PRISK—an amount widely seen as inadequate considering their popularity and success.
In April 2023, Sauti Sol’s Bien Aime mockingly revealed he had received just Ksh14,634 in royalties, questioning how such a low payout was possible for one of Kenya’s most streamed artists.
By March 2024, discontent remained high among creatives. During a live discussion, musician Shizo disclosed he had never received royalties for his hit song Rhoda. Fellow artist Nonini also criticised CMOs for failing to meet the legal requirement of distributing at least 70 percent of collected royalties to artists.
These frustrations were reinforced in a February 2024 report by the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), which highlighted glaring disparities in royalty distribution. The report showed that prominent artists like Rehema Lugose and Reuben Kigame had received far less than they were legally entitled to under the 70 percent rule.
As Nikita Kering amplifies the voices of Kenyan musicians at the African Union, artists and industry stakeholders now hope for broader policy reforms and stricter oversight of royalty collection and distribution bodies.
