Hubert Nakitare, better known online as Nonini, is presently embroiled in an online dispute with Ezekiel Mutua, CEO of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) after the latter seemed to accuse the former of embezzling money belonging to artists.
Claiming that directors of all Kenyan CMOs were benefiting more than anybody, Nonini shared a document he said contained the actual figures the MCSK had budgeted for artists, among other substantial expenses. He pointed out the meager amounts shared to over 16,000 artists rather than the money spent on salaries.
"You see the precise issue plaguing the Kenyan music industry. These are the amounts that @TheMCSK allocated for artists' funds for the recently concluded fiscal year 2023," he wrote.
"This is a problem in all CMO administration, and directors benefit more than anyone."
According to Nonini's document, MCSK has made Ksh. One hundred ten million in revenue only gave Ksh. 10 million to Kenyan musicians. According to the breakdown, salaries accounted for Ksh.57 million, while the Board accounted for Ksh.7 million.
"A worker is fully covered for medical care, but an artist can't even afford outpatient care! You take in 109 million, pay employees 57 million, and give out 10 million to more than 16,000 musicians. SMH!" Nonini complained once more.
"Show me an investor who will ever be attracted to this broken down music industry eco-system!"
The MCSK president swiftly retaliated, publicly criticizing the 'We Kamu' rapper and charging him with embezzling musician funds while serving as a director of both the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) and the Music Publishers Association of Kenya (MUPAKE). He also manipulated the document to fit his story.
According to Mutua, the document was taken from MUPAKE's accounts between 2027 and 2019. He also stated that he had already reported Nonini to the police and urged the rapper, who is based in the US and whom he referred to as a "fugitive," to bring the document to the DCI so that it could be investigated.
He posted: "This wanted man, @Noninimgenge2ru, stole money from musicians while he was a director of MUPAKE & PRISK. We filed a police report on him and his gang last week, and now we will have them prosecuted.
"I've heard that he's now spreading a fake document on social media that appears to be from MCSK's official accounts, but it's taken from MUPAKE accounts from 2017 to 2019 and altered to feed the creative imagination.
They used to steal money from artists in this manner, but we'll ensure they end up in jail or prison. You can flee, boss, but you can't hide. Take the document to the DCI office and make a statement if it is authentic."
Throughout the years, Nonini has never disguised his opinions about unfair revenue distribution and collection practices in the Kenyan music industry.
When Dr. Mutua announced in mid-January that Ksh twenty million would be distributed equally among the 16,000 members of the music body, many conjectured that the artists would receive a pitiful Ksh. 1,250.
Different people had different opinions; many Kenyans criticized the CEO for the pitiful amounts he planned to give to local artists. Nonini also joined the campaign, tweeting, "Poleni wasabi wazungu... Sad sana."
