Eddy Kenzo Admits Blunder Over Uganda’s New Copyright Bill Following Social Media Backlash

Mar 23, 2026

The UNMF Eddy Kenzo has officially bowed to the court of public opinion, admitting he missed the mark on Uganda’s newly passed Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Bill. Following the bill's passage by Parliament on March 17, the "Sitya Loss" star faced nearly two days of intense social media trolling after a viral interview clip showed him misinterpreting the legal jargon.

During a session with a local vlogger, Kenzo described "neighbouring rights" as safeguards intended to protect music coming from nearby countries. The blunder didn't sit well with music fans and industry experts, who quickly took to digital platforms to offer a blunt correction. They clarified that the term actually refers to the legal protections for the performers, producers, and broadcasters who bring a creative work to life.

"All along I thought neighboring righte means neighboring countries

Greetings sebbo, I have seen the video on the comment on neighboring rights. Allow me to share as follows; The law on copyright talks of neighboring rights, it doesn’t mean neighboring countries. Neighboring rights are the rights given to people like you who sing, perform, record, or play music, even if you did not write the song. For example, someone may write a song, but you are the one who sings it and records it. When that song is played on radio or TV, you also have rights because it is your voice and your performance. The producer who recorded it also has rights. So, neighboring rights simply mean: rights for the people who bring the music to life, not just the one who wrote it. Yes it’s true the songs of other countries are protected through the copyright system, international treaties and also reciprocal agreement between different Collecting Management Organizations. Thank you for the correction " Eddy Kenzo Post on X

In a rare move of public humility, the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) President took to his platforms to "swallow a humble pie." He admitted his ignorance, posting, “All along I thought neighbouring rights means neighbouring countries,” before sharing the accurate definition and thanking his followers for the lesson.

Despite the rocky start to the conversation, the new bill represents a massive win for the industry. It promises significantly tougher penalties for copyright infringement and improved royalty structures, offering a long-awaited safety net for Ugandan artists after decades of weak enforcement.

Eddy Kenzo Admits Blunder Over Uganda’s New Copyright Bill Following Social Media Backlash

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