Ugandan Musicians Demand Fair Pay: Sheebah Leads Call to Retain Clause 9 in Copyright Law
Ugandan artist Sheebah has issued a passionate appeal to fellow musicians and the government, urging them to protect the rights of creators by retaining Clause 9 of the Copyright Amendment Bill.
In a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), Sheebah highlighted the financial burden artists face when trying to promote their own work, noting that millions are spent on production and videos—only for musicians to still be required to pay radio stations, TV stations, and bloggers for airplay and coverage.
“Ugandan musicians invest millions producing music and shooting videos, yet we still have to pay radio stations, TV stations and bloggers just to promote our own work,” she wrote.
She explained that Clause 9 of the Copyright Amendment is designed to guarantee that artists are compensated when their music is played publicly. According to Sheebah, removing this clause would render the entire amendment meaningless and leave the creative industry struggling.
“If Clause 9 is removed, then this amendment defeats its purpose and the creative industry will continue bleeding,” she stated.
The musician called on all artists to speak up in defence of their rights and appealed to the government for fairness.
“To government, we ask for fairness. It’s time to do the right thing,” she added.
Her post, shared under the hashtags #Clause9 and #ProtectUgandanMusic, has sparked widespread discussion online, with over 145,000 views and thousands of engagements from fans and fellow artists.
The call comes at a critical time as Uganda’s creative industry continues to push for better legal protections and fair compensation in the digital and broadcast age.
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