TAKEAWAYS

• The society says it had only Sh216 million to distribute among nearly 5,000 members for 2025.
• UPRS argues that undeclared songs, co-ownership splits and past publishing arrangements can significantly reduce an artist’s final royalty payment.
• UPRS says Weasel’s Sh285,000 payout was based on registered works, not his status or popularity in the industry.

The Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) has defended the royalty payout made to different singers including Goodlyfe singer Douglas aka Weasel Manizo Mayanja after screenshots circulated online showing he had received about Sh285,000 for 2025.

The figures triggered fresh criticism of UPRS, a body that has for years faced accusations from musicians who claim it does little to secure meaningful earnings for artists from the use of their music. The backlash has also revived memories of the push that led to the formation of the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF), which was partly driven by frustrations over copyright management and royalty collection.

Speaking on the matter, UPRS board chairperson Martin Nkoyoyo admitted that the amount paid to Weasel was modest, but said it reflected the reality of the society’s collections and the records attached to each artist’s account.

“I must share his disappointment and sympathy. The figures are modest. It is not where we want to be as an industry,” Nkoyoyo said, while explaining that UPRS had only Sh216 million available for distribution among close to 5,000 members for the 2025 cycle.

According to Nkoyoyo, royalty payments are not based on an artist’s fame or legacy, but on the catalogue of songs registered with UPRS and the ownership interests attached to those works. He said an artist may have hundreds of songs in circulation, but if only a few have been formally declared to the society, only those can be considered during distribution.

“He could be having 100 songs, but if he has only endeavoured to register two songs with UPRS, then that means we only pay for two songs. We don’t pay for the other 98 songs,” he said.

Nkoyoyo added that ownership splits may have further reduced Weasel’s payout, noting that some Goodlyfe songs may be jointly owned with the late Moses Ssekibogo, producers or even former publishers. UPRS also said it set aside some money to handle disputes from artists who are dissatisfied with their allocations and can provide documentation to support a review.

The latest uproar once again puts UPRS under pressure to prove it can improve compliance, boost collections and restore confidence among Ugandan musicians who have long questioned whether the current royalty system truly works for them.