KAMPALA – Richard Kaweesa a local musician has dragged President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to court seeking payment for copyright of Another Rap song that was used during his 2011 presidential campaigns.
Mr. Museveni is jointly sued with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau which is the official Registrar of Copyright for consequential orders.
In his lawsuit filed before the Commercial Court, Kaweesa he is the author and producer of Museveni’s 2010 campaign famous song “Another Rap” which he says he produced by infusing and improved from a few Kinyakore words that were contained in the president’s speech of October 9, 2010, at Statehouse.
However 9 years later, Kaweesa accuses Museveni of unlawfully registering and acquiring copyright on his musical works without seeking his (Kaweesa) authorization and consent.
Through his lawyers of Muwema and Company Advocates, the singer is seeking for a court declaration that he is the author, producer and owner of the ‘Another rap song’ and that Museveni’s use and registration of copyright in the musical works without his knowledge, consent and compensation is an infringement on his right.
However, in the alternative, Kaweesa wants the court to order the president pay him adequate remuneration for his musical works contending that the song was a hit on airwaves, internet and dance halls to which Museveni claims popularity both locally and on the international scene.
Kaweesa further contends that several negotiations with the president to have the matter settled amicably with a whopping of Shs 5.5 billion compensation claim to him proved futile hence seeking court’s redress.
In the plaint, Kaweesa also mentions that as a president, Museveni lost his immunity not to be sued as a sitting president when the Head of state individually subjected himself to acquire copyright on a song which does not belong to him.
