Skiza is a dialing tone service provided by Safaricom where the traditional dialing tone is replaced with a song from the caller’s favourite artist. Unlike the traditional streams of income of artists such as album sales and ticket sales from concerts, which may fluctuate over time, Skiza provided micro payments based on usage, making it a steady digital lifeline. This platform provides upcoming artists with sufficient earnings which will help in sustaining their careers. Currently, the Kenyan music industry has faced a major surprise after the High Court suspended the disbursement of royalties to musicians through the Skiza tunes platform. For an industry struggling with harsh realities of digital disruption and diminishing gig revenue, this move could threaten the main financial source of numerous artists across the country. The main cause is the ongoing battle between the Kenya Association of Music Producers, Performers Rights Society of Kenya and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya against the Office of the Attorney General and the Kenya Copyright Board.
The core of this matter lies in a debate surrounding the authority of the three collective management organizations, that is, the Kenya Association of Music Producers, Performers Rights Society of Kenya and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya whose licenses were revoked in 2021 by Kenya Copyright Board. While the collective management organizations have continued to operate under a court order, the matter of who has the legal mandate to collect and distribute royalties remains unresolved. The High Court’s order of suspending royalty payments through digital platforms such as Skiza is meant to stop activity until the broader legal and regulatory framework is established. In reality, it’s a brutal blow to artists who now find themselves entangled in a tug of war between regulatory agencies and collecting bodies.
Upcoming artists who do not have mainstream exposure, revenue from Skiza tunes is more primary than supplementary. Many use it to fund music production, pay session artists, or cover basic living expenses. While some prominent musicians can lean on endorsements, bookings, or digital streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify, smaller and upcoming artists often lack access to these alternatives.
The High Court’s decision arrives at a time when Kenya’s creative sector is undergoing rapid transformation. The shift to digital platforms such as streaming and short-form video platforms, has unlocked global exposure for some, but it has also exposed the gaps in local infrastructure for monetization, copyright enforcement, and fair compensation. Stakeholders argue that this court battle highlights a bigger problem that entails of disorganized systems, unclear handling of royalties, and old laws that haven’t kept up with the digital age.
As legal proceedings continue, the music industry is bracing for tough months ahead. The Kenya Copyright Board has hinted at the need for a single, well-regulated collective management body, while others advocate for decentralizing the royalty collection process and introducing blockchain-backed systems to ensure transparency. In the meantime, artistes are urging for an urgent interim mechanism that allows royalty flows to resume, even as disputes are resolved in court.
