Are You An Artiste or Writer? Here’s How To Copyright Your Work

Not once or twice have we heard of upcoming artistes and producers complaining that their lines, tracks or ideas have been used by an established artiste or studio. But anyway, here are some few tips by the Kenya Copyright Board to help you protect your work from possible plagiarism.

Categories of copyright works to be registered:

The Kenya Copyright Board registers copyright works under the following categories;

    1.Musical
    2.Audio Visual
    3.Literary
    4.Artistic
    5.Sound Recording

Requirements for Registration:

Original musical, literary, artistic, audio visual works, sound recordings and broadcasts shall be eligible for copyright protection.Procedure for Registration of Copyright Works:

To be accepted for registration,

   1.The work must be of original authorship. Originality in the Copyright sense means that the work must not have copied from somebody else.
    2.Application shall be a prescribed form obtained from the Copyright Office or downloaded from the Kenya Copyright Board Website
   3.The applicant will attach two soft copies of the works, where applicable with the application
   4.The work must be in a tangible form including digital form for example VCD,CD,DVCD, books, Music cassettes
    5.A duly completed application form, fully filled, must be witnessed by a commissioner for oaths and accompanied by the required fees.

The following particulars shall also be required:-

    (a) Applicant Details
   (b) Copyright Work Details
   (c) Authorship/Artist Details.
    (d) Production/Publication Details.

Any such person purporting to register a work as an authorized agent, he/she shall be required to produce an authority letter authorizing him/her to act as such agent and a copy of his/her National ID.

On receipt of the application, the office may, after making such enquiry as it may deem fit, enter the particulars of the work in a Copyright Register.

The Copyright Office will then issue a certificate of registration within 7 days from the date of registration.

A Registration Fee of Ksh. 1000 shall be deposited in the Account of Kenya Copyright Board:
Bank Name: KENYA COMMERCIAL BANK/./
Account Name: KENYA COPYRIGHT BOARD
Account Number: 1104002450
Branch: Kipande House