The Kenyan Department of Justice has aired its displeasure after a video on YouTube featuring the country’s national anthem was hit by a copyright complaint. Previous article. The reason given was that the Kenyan national anthem was copyrighted by De Wolfe Music. A Kenyan content creator has complained to you tube after his video ranking the best African National anthems was flagged . Forgotten password? The reason given was that the Kenyan National anthem was copyrighted by British company De Wolfe Music. And although De Wolfe Music Company, the company at the heart of the storm, came out to clear the air insisting that it didn’t have the rights to Kenya’s national anthem and had only posted the sound recording of the anthem on Youtube, the event has brought to light a litany of patent disputes pitting Africans against multinationals and individuals. YouTube Drama. De Wolfe Music has also claimed that it owns the instrumental composition of the national anthem. This has happened at a time that the Kenya national anthem which has had a fettered history of independence found itself mired in controversy following reports of the nation’s patriotic song allegedly copyrighted by the British firm De Wolfe Music. None is directly linked to the Kenya copyright board. De Wolfe Music, a British production company hit the headlines this week over claims that it has acquired exclusive rights to the Kenyan national anthem, the allegations were quickly dismissed by KECOBO Executive Director Edward Sigei who explicitly underscored that the foreign company has only acquired rights to a rendition of the national anthem. Despite this, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) was quick to respond on the copyright claims, stating that the claims by De Wolfe (and others) over the national anthem were invalid. The content creator – who runs the ‘2nacheki’ channel – claimed he was informed that AdRev Publishing had registered the complaint on behalf of De Wolfe Music. This revelation was made after a Kenyan YouTuber received a copyright warning from YouTube after he used the Kenyan anthem in one of his video. It sounds as if De Wolfe ambushed Kenya and ‘stole’ its national anthem from underneath its nose . On further investigations, he found out that the British company had claimed […] Your email address will not be published. It has recently come to light that international company De Wolfe Music allegedly copyrighted parts of the Kenya national anthem. It certainly does not help that the country has in the past been faced with similar standpoints, a key moment being Kenyans feeling robbed when they learnt that the traditional kiondo baskets are patented in Japan. De Wolfe that is said to have the copyright to the Kenyan anthem is a music library company in Britain that was established in 1909. The anthem is often played during all international sports competitions both locally and internationally. The question that must be asked however, whether there is need for laws governing such ‘obvious’ origins of intellectual property, such as national anthems, kiondos and kikoys. Mobile money transfers of amounts of Ksh1,000 and below have been free since March when the measures were announced. The projects seek to achieve very low embodied CO2 footprint buildings using low carbon cement-based materials and locally available resources. In response, KECOBO held that the claims on Kenya National Anthem by Dewolfe Music and others were invalid. Daddy Owen’s Wife Farida Allegedly Leaves Him For Rich Tycoon, KFCB Boss Ezekiel Mutua Takes On Comedian Eric Omondi Over Brothel-like Studios in Lavington, Elsa Majimbo Speaks On Trolls, Parents Demanding She Stops Sharing Content On Social Media, Sauti Sol’s “Sol Saturday” Concert Cancelled Over Spike in COVID-19 Infections. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In a statement on Tuesday, the board said, According to the you tube content creator under the 2nacheki Chanel,  their video was not monetized but the fact that it was flagged meant that De Wolfe owned the rights to the Kenyan National anthem. READ : CEO DIES, SH14 BILLION OF INVESTOR MONEY STUCK. What it essentially meant was that De Wolfe owned the copyright to the national anthem of Kenya. This may mean that the anthem is now free, although other laws governing national symbols continue to govern it. Kenya's national anthem is played during national holidays and during other important or historical events. by Merxcine Cush February 5, 2019, 2:43 PM. The claimant of the copyright to Kenya's anthem was De Wofle Music, a UK based music company. According to Intellectual Property blogger Victor Nzomo writing in 2011, the kiondo case revolved around expired product patent, a loophole which Japan ceased upon. It brings in the muddy waters exemplified by the digital age, where control of copyright is far more difficult than it used to be. The claimant of the copyright to Kenya’s anthem was De Wofle Music, a UK based music company. He was informed that AdRev Publishing had registered the complaint on behalf of De Wolfe Music, a British music company. An online user had composed a work and attempted to post it on video site YouTube, upon which his video was stuck out for copyright infringement. While politicians in the country had long built followings based on tribal arithmetic, Sonko did it differently. If any track or video embedded on this platform violates any copyrights please inform us immediately and we will take it down. Their sites also has orchestral arrangements of other National anthems. READ : HOW FACEBOOK INFLUENCED KENYANS LIVES. pic.twitter.com/EUJPEdgeg5, — Kenya Copyright Board (@KenyaCopyright) February 5, 2019, An Editorial in The Star also made the assertion “De Wolfe’s claim will not carry weight in international courts of law. With a British firm’s failed attempt to register the kikoy also serving as a reminder, the national anthem copyright saga places special focus on the awareness of intellectual property rights. Similarly though, it asks a very viable question of whether the strict adherence to copyright laws favours certain countries over others. De Wofle Music Company has come out to clear the air on the allegations, denying any copyright ownership of the national anthem. Copyright claims on Kenya National Anthem by Dewolfe Music and others are invalid. The reason given was that the Kenyan National anthem was copyrighted by British company De Wolfe Music. The Kenyan National Anthem has been falsely copyright claimed by the UK-based company De Wolfe Music. The video ranked the best national anthems in Africa. by Vanessa Murrey December 31, 2020, 1:26 PM, by Mercy Auma December 28, 2020, 10:44 AM, by Kahawa Tungu December 26, 2020, 7:45 PM, by Eva Nyambura December 23, 2020, 3:12 PM, by Eva Nyambura December 23, 2020, 9:36 AM, by Mercy Auma December 19, 2020, 10:25 AM. Kenya national anthem in IP tussle. De Wolfe has on its page published an orchestral arrangement of Kenya’s national anthem that it states was created in 1990. According to the content creator, the National anthem that they used was different from what De wolfe had copyrighted which was basically an instrumental of the National anthem. The Kenyan Department of Justice has aired its displeasure after a video on YouTube featuring the country's national anthem was hit by a copyright complaint. A YouTube channel by the name “2nacheki” was flagged over a video it posted that attempted to rank Africa’s best national anthems. He can be reached at: [email protected], Your email address will not be published. We stand out from the rest. Required fields are marked *. SEE ALSO : JUMIA WANTS TO BREAK SPEED DATING WORLD RECORD, Mike Njoroge is the founder of Daystar Oracle and FootballTriangle. As a body within a position to influence policy, KECOBO should be first in steering this process. Do you know of a sensitive story you would like us to get our hands on? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The content creator – who runs the ‘2nacheki’ channel – claimed he was informed that AdRev Publishing had registered the complaint on behalf of De Wolfe Music, a British company which, as it emerges, owns the rights to the Kenyan National Anthem. The measure will lapse on December 31, 2020. National anthems are in the public domain all over the world and people can use or play the tune so long as they do not parody it.”, “Special performances or arrangements of the national anthem may be copyrighted but there cannot be a general copyright of a national anthem.”. Reports, originating from social media and that found themselves into the mainstream media space, alleged that the nation’s patriotic song had been copyrighted by the British firm De Wolfe Music. “The National Anthem is over 50 years and has thus fallen into public domain. “An international company has copyrighted the Kenyan national anthem and they are earning from it and evening running adverts from it, but a Kenyan Youtuber cannot make money from it,” 2nacheki said. [IMAGE/ COURTESY] A section of the Members of Parliament are in shock after identifying a Ksh400 million Presidential Kitty which they claim the state has been operating secretly. Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! The case of derivative must, therefore, fail on the above grounds as well," the board stated. A complication arising though concerns the fact that the discovery of what is now a copyright saga came from a YouTube interaction, where Kenya’s national anthem was flagged in a video after a copyright claim from De Wolfe. According to the content creator, the National anthem that they used was different from what De wolfe had copyrighted which was basically an instrumental of the National anthem. “The national anthem is over 50 years and has thus fallen into public domain," the statement reads. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In a statement on February 5, KECOBO said according to copyright laws in Kenya, the claims fell short of the standard. © Copyright 2020 Kahawatungu | All Rights Reserved, Kenyan National Anthem Copyrighted To British Company, De Wolfe Music, Matiang’i Chairs First Cabinet Secretaries Meeting At Harambee House (Photos), ‘Secret’ Ksh400 Million Presidential Kitty Shocks Members Of Parliament, Five Children Die After Falling Into 20-foot Septic Tank On New Year’s Eve In Githurai, Three Arrested As Uncustomed Alcoholic Drinks Worth Millions Of Shillings Seized In Kitui, “It Is Insensitive Of Gov’t To Introduce Punitive Tax Measures,” COTU Boss Atwoli Now Says, Three More Patients Succumb To Covid-19 As Kenya’s Caseload Rises To 96,458, Thirdway Alliance Names Deputy Party Leader Angela Mwikali As Miguna’s Running Mate, Rotimi and Vanessa Mdee Light Up Social Media with Engagement, Google On The Spot For Racism After Editing Out Bare-Chested Zulu Girls, Ken Mijungu Speaks on Paying Loan For Stolen Posh Car, Trouble in Paradise? According to the music firm, what they posted on their YouTube channel is just a sound recording of the anthem. Close. It sounds as if De Wolfe ambushed Kenya and ‘stole’ its national anthem from underneath its nose. Deputy President William Ruto With President Uhuru Kenyatta in a past function. The Kenyan National anthem has not been copyrighted by British music company, De Wolfe. The new appointee is the current Non-Executive Chairman of Distell International Holdings Ltd and is a Non-Executive Director of Bayport Management Limited. a British firm’s failed attempt to register the kikoy also serving as a reminder, the national anthem copyright saga places special focus on the awareness of intellectual property rights. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Disclaimer: Music In Africa provides a platform for musicians and contributors to embed music and videos solely for promotional purposes. Read: Google On The Spot For Racism After Editing Out Bare-Chested Zulu Girls. Teachers Get Their Own Bank. The words of the National anthem in both the National and the official language are in the second schedule of the constitution. But the government of Kenya could do it and hopefully completely destroy this company and help set standards for future fake strike claims. KECOBO said that although copyrights usually expire after 50 years, the national anthem has additional protection. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It is this sort of reasoning that seems to govern De Wolfe, or whoever else lays claim to the Kenyan national anthem. However, the copyright body said that tighter laws need to be instituted in the Copyright Act so as to better safeguard the rights to the country’s anthem. Those with imaginative minds may even conjure up images of the UK firm acting as a [De] Wolfe in sheep’s skin so as to achieve this. The owner of ‘2nacheki’ YouTube channel says he was informed that AdRev Publishing had filed a complaint on behalf of De Wolfe Music, a British company that allegedly owns the rights to … Email your news TIPS to news@kahawatungu.com  or WhatsApp +254708677607. 469. Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. “KECOBO is at the moment studying the terms and conditions in YouTube platform with a view to requesting for take down of all content offending the National Anthem by the said company and others,” the copyright body said. "The alleged claim for copyright by this company or any other to the original rendition of the National Anthem can't, therefore, be supported. The Kenya copyright board has little information on who has the rights to the National anthem. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You can: Scroll to a Playing Track - when active, the results will automatically scroll to show the track that is playing.. Night Mode - This activates a dark theme.. Classic Pagination - This changes the infinite scroll to classic pagination within search results.. Scroll to playing track Night mode Classic Pagination “The National Anthem is over 50 years and has thus fallen into public domain. Share this story. However, given the place of National Anthem in any country and the provisions of the National Flags, Emblems and Names Act (Cap 99 laws of Kenya) there is additional protection of the anthem against misuse and improper use,” the statement reads. The Kenya national anthem has had a fettered history and yesterday, Kenya’s chorus of independence found itself mired in controversy. UK-based De Wolfe Music is claiming to be the owner of the track, which is actually in the public domain. Kenya’s national anthem composed in 1963 has since acquired a global status and is now akin to being the world’s national anthem thanks to Kenya’s legendary athletes who with every international competition keep lifting the Kenyan flag higher and higher. Six-star Sharks: Confederations Cup. Another company, Ad Rev has claimed the National Anthem on behalf of DeWolfe Music. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. Kenya British firm State symbols De Wolfe Music National Anthem Owns. As is commonplace among the Kenyan social media fraternity, this caused ire as many sought to understand just why this esteemed piece of Kenyan art, originated by its citizens and performed at the nation’s most historic moments, was left loose by the government. A quick search through You tube shows that the National anthem of Kenya has been licensed to you tube by various agencies. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The constitution of Kenya under article 9 prescribes the National anthem as a National symbol. The content creator – who runs the ‘2nacheki’ channel – claimed he was informed that AdRev Publishing had registered the complaint on behalf of De Wolfe Music, a British company which, as it emerges, owns the rights to the Kenyan National Anthem. However, given the place of National Anthem in any country and the provisions of the National Flags, Emblems and Names Act (Cap 99 laws of Kenya) there is additional protection of the anthem against misuse and improper use,” the statement reads. To opt-out of these cookies may have an effect on your eyes at day time kinder... 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