The Minister of Youth and Arts, Jean-Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima, has confirmed that a legal framework is being explored to establish a national body for artists, following the recent dissolution of the Rwanda Society of Authors (RSAU). Speaking after an April 22 session with the parliamentary committee on education, technology, culture, sports, and youth, the minister said the new body would be created by law and mandated to protect the rights, welfare, and conduct of artists in Rwanda. ALSO READ: Chaka Chaka makes case for CMOs as royalty row continues Utumatwishima noted that although the new agency could operate independently, it would work closely with government institutions to empower artists. He said the council's status had been under review for some time, but efforts to grant it legal independence had proved difficult. The decision comes amid growing calls from within the creative sector for a structured, functional body that can safeguard artists’ rights and support the development of the arts in Rwanda. Stakeholders believe that such a body is essential to turning artistic potential into viable careers and protecting intellectual property. ALSO READ: Can Rwanda turn the tide on music royalties? Alongside the proposal, the ministry is working on two additional initiatives. First, it plans to introduce a ministerial decree that outlines how artists' works will be protected under the law. Second, it is pursuing the creation of a Collective Management Organization, or CMO, to collect royalties and ensure that artists benefit financially from their work. Unlike streaming royalties, which are paid directly by platforms like Spotify or YouTube based on individual plays, the proposed CMO will focus on collecting earnings from the public use of creative works, such as radio play and performances in public venues. Its introduction aims to address areas of revenue that have often gone uncollected, offering artists a more structured and transparent system for compensation. ALSO READ: Rwanda's creative industry divided over new IP law, demands for revision grow RSAU, which was established in 2010, had long been criticized by artists who felt it failed to fulfill its mandate. Its collapse, while not surprising to many in the industry, has raised questions about the future of copyright protection in Rwanda. The organization had only distributed royalties to artists three times in its 13-year history. In 2019, Rwf8 million was shared among 80 artists, with each receiving Rwf100,000. A larger disbursement of Rwf18 million came in 2021, followed by Rwf24 million in 2023, which included payments to both Rwandan and foreign artists. Even then, many recipients were frustrated by the small sums and the lack of transparency in how the funds were calculated and distributed. One music producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they only received Rwf12,000 in 2023 despite filing for copyright protection and having their music played on local radio and in public venues. “I tried to understand how my royalties were calculated, but no one could give me a clear answer,” the producer said. “It felt like RSAU either didn’t know what it was doing or simply didn’t care.” Others voiced similar frustrations. Musician and media personality Uncle Austin previously said he considered taking legal action after being billed portions of his royalties by unidentified third parties. He claimed this had happened multiple times and that he was never told how much he had earned or why those deductions were made. RSAU was launched with support from the Rwandan government and international partners, including NORCODE, the Norwegian Copyright Development Association. Initial funding included Rwf15 million from the government and over Rwf27.4 million from NORCODE. The agreement with the Norwegian agency also promised another 300,000 Norwegian Krone (Approx. Rwf41 million) within three years, bringing the total startup budget to more than Rwf83 million. Yet questions around the use of that funding remain unanswered. A 2017 report submitted to UNESCO by the former Ministry of Sports and Culture acknowledged that RSAU operated without consistent support and often struggled to fulfill its responsibilities. The report cited poor coordination among government bodies and a lack of enforcement of intellectual property laws as contributing factors. Despite the shortcomings, many artists are cautiously optimistic about the government’s announcement. Some say that establishing a proper legal entity is long overdue, though others worry it may simply repeat the same mistakes unless backed by transparent structures, funding, and a clear mandate.
