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Mthabisi Tshuma

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ZIMBABWE Music Rights Association (Zimura) has started to disburse over $600 million to its members with another distribution set to be conducted before the year ends.

Every member of the association is expected to benefit from this disbursement.

The non-government revenue-collecting entity has the mandate to protect and promote the rights of music composers, authors, and publishers in Zimbabwe. A royalty is a sum paid to a patentee for the use of a patent or to an author or composer for each copy of a book sold or for each public performance of work.

Zimura executive director, Polisile Ncube-Chimhini said they recorded an over 600% increase in collections, a move that will cushion artistes in a big way.

“We’ve started distributing an excess of ZWL640 million compared to the ZWL89 million distributed last year. The highest earner will receive plus ZWL 3 million and every member is getting something with the lowest getting ZWL5000 plus,” she said.

Ncube-Chimhini said the association has decided to try as much as possible to recognise those with music played in places other than broadcasters.

“This is the reason why every member is getting royalties this year. The royalties received by artists are determined by airplay and the revenue collected in that year and not the number of albums or songs recorded as some would like to believe.

 “For ZBC, an artiste is receiving ZWL 1 596.00 per play from broadcasting royalties. That figure will differ as we pay royalties from smaller broadcasters later on,” said Ncube-Chimhini.

She said all broadcasters and the majority of music users pay Zimura in ZWL.

“Almost 98% of Zimura’s income is received in ZWL.  So the distribution is in ZWL. The only distribution done in foreign currency is from digital usage.

“Zimura is doing its best to pay royalties as early as possible because it’s aware that the artistes are suffering because of the inflationary environment as their income is eroded before it gets in their hands. There are also other distributions due as the year progresses,” she said.

Ncube-Chimhini said Zimura operations have always been transparent and professionalism is the order of the day.

“Our books are audited each year and published on our website. The playlists that we receive from the broadcasters are open for verification in case any member wishes to check his/her airplay against his royalties,” she said. – @mthabisi_mthire