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Kenyan artistes will continue to suffer financially and emotionally, as there seems to be no end to the wars between various Collection Management Organisations (CMOs).

On August 2, the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) registered as a CMO the Performing and Audio-Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK) formerly Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK).

This decision was vehemently challenged by the other two CMOs namely Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp), which added confusion to the already fragile situation that pits hundreds of thousands of distressed rights owners on one side, and Kecobo and the three CMOs on the other.

But on September 3, PAVRISK got a reprieve when the Copyright Tribunal made a judgement in its favour, on the appeal challenging its registration. This was followed by a High Court order to stay the tribunal’s judgement.

Yesterday, the situation seemed to escalate, after PAVRISK instructed MCSK and Kamp to cease fraudulently obtaining monies from users by pretending that the Joint Operations licence between the three CMOs was still in existence and operational.

Through its lawyers Morris Maina Advocates, PAVRISK alleged in a letter addressed to MCSK and Kamp that it had noted that the two entities had been misleading and misrepresenting the public of the existence of joint operations by the three bodies, and continued collecting royalties from users in that pretence.

“This is without our client’s knowledge and/or authority and in disregard of the termination of joint operations as communicated to you vide out letter of 10th June, 2024, and received by yourselves on 13th June, 2024,” said the CMO.

It further warned of legal action against the two parties, if they didn’t stop “exploiting and using” PAVRISK’s logo without its authority.