The government disclosed that no royalties collected through the eCitizen platform have been paid directly to Kenyan artists, despite the digital system’s aim to improve copyright earnings management.

Director General of eCitizen Services Isaac Ochieng informed the National Assembly’s Sports and Culture Committee that eCitizen does not retain the revenue; instead, the funds are transferred from the National Treasury to collective management organisations (CMOs) twice each week.

The transferred amount is split according to the statutory 70‑30 formula, with 70 % earmarked for artists and 30 % allocated for CMO administrative costs, a split highlighted by lawmakers during the hearing.

Responsibility for ensuring that artists receive their share rests with the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), which regulates the CMOs and monitors compliance with the revenue‑sharing arrangement.

CMOs are required to upload royalty distribution records onto eCitizen after each payment, enabling individual artists to monitor collections and view their earnings through the platform.

The digital system was introduced after a 2025 presidential directive and service‑level agreements signed in June between KECOBO, eCitizen, the Performing and Audio‑Visual Rights Society of Kenya (PAVRISK) and the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP).

KECOBO recently suspended KAMP for 90 days from 1 July over alleged misappropriation of Ksh5.5 million in royalty funds, raising further concerns about the flow of money to artists.

Lawmakers noted that it remains unclear when artists who have been awaiting payments will finally receive their dues, pending further clarification from KECOBO and the CMOs.