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CSs Kuria, Jumwa clash over payment of music copyrights, royalties on eCitizen

Cabinet Secretary for Gender Aisha Jumwa handing over to Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria in Nairobi on October 16, 2023. (Photo: X/Moses Kuria)

By Lucy Mumbi | Monday, February 12, 2024

Kuria took to X to announce that the music copyrights and royalties will soon be paid through the e-Citizen digital platform

Cabinet secretaries Moses Kuria (Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management) and Aisha Jumwa (Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage) appeared to clash over the payment of music copyrights and royalties on the eCitizen platform.

Kuria took to X on Sunday to announce that the music copyrights and royalties will soon be paid through the eCitizen digital platform

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Kuria said the State will initiate amendments to the Copyright Act to create a government-run collective management organisation.

"Our artists will be individually registered. They can view online how much money is collected," he said.

The CS said the move will prevent copyright infringement and theft.

However on Monday while responding to his colleague, CS Jumwa said that her ministry was the one in charge of the payments.

"I like the zeal of my Colleague and Friend CS Kuria and in the spirit of one government approach this opinion is valid. However, my ministry through the State Department of Culture, Arts and Heritage is in charge and is working on streamlining the industry," Jumwa said.

Service delivery

The government has been on the run to integrate all services into the eCitizen platform to curb corruption and enhance service delivery.

However, the move has been met with heightened contention with most Kenyans arguing that it violates the principles of good governance.

Recently, a memo issued to all national school principals dated January 31, 2024, and signed by PS Belio Kipsang directed national school parents to pay school fees via the platform.

School heads were ordered to share school bank account details with the office of the State Department's Director General by Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

The PS said the move is part of the government’s efforts to onboard all government services onto the eCitizen platform to enhance service delivery.

However, the High Court halted the directive after a petition was filed terming the initiative as illegal.

Students and staff from the University of Nairobi were also directed to pay for their meals on the platform.

Last year, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung'u highlighted that all government services would be onboarded on the eCitizen platform and every service would have access fees.