KECOBO dissolves KAMP board, orders CEO suspension

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The woes facing the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP)  have deepened after the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) dissolved its Board of Directors and ordered the suspension of Chief Executive Officer Maurice Okoth.

In a public notice signed by KECOBO chairman Joshua Kutuny, the regulator directed KAMP’s board to immediately suspend Okoth and other officers involved in matters under investigation.

The decision was made during a special board meeting held on August 24, 2026, which also resolved that KAMP directors vacate office immediately and elections for a new board be held within 30 days.

The latest action follows KECOBO’s 90-day suspension of KAMP’s operating licence, effective July 1, over alleged financial and governance breaches.

KECOBO said it had established that Sh5.5 million in royalty funds meant for distribution to rights holders had been diverted and spent on activities unrelated to royalty distribution.

The regulator also accused KAMP of failing to comply with its directives and a June 2025 consent agreement with the Performing and Audio-Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK), which sought to harmonise licensing operations.

Other concerns raised by KECOBO included undercutting approved licensing tariffs, excessive litigation using royalty funds, failure to comply with board tenure requirements and weaknesses in the system used to distribute royalties.

KAMP challenged the licence suspension at the Copyright Tribunal in case COPTA/E002/2026 but lost the appeal.

In its August 18 judgment, the Tribunal upheld KECOBO’s decision, saying the regulator had the mandate to supervise and investigate the allegations against KAMP.

The Tribunal directed KECOBO to conclude its regulatory action within seven days and either lift the suspension or take further action.

KECOBO has since directed PAVRISK to collect royalties on behalf of rights represented by KAMP during the suspension. The funds are to be held in a separate bank account pending further directions.

The regulator has also referred the Sh5.5 million matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for investigation and appropriate action.

KAMP has vowed to pursue all available legal remedies.

“We will not be intimidated into silence. We will defend our members, protect their rights, and stand for accountability and fairness in collective management,” the organisation said in a statement posted on Facebook.

KECOBO said KAMP’s licence will not be reinstated until the identified governance, financial and regulatory breaches have been addressed.