Parliament to hold public hearings on Zimura, Zicco roles amid artistes’ plight

Mthabisi Tshuma [email protected]

PARLIAMENT of Zimbabwe is set to conduct public hearings on the roles of Zimbabwe Music Rights (Zimura) and the Zimbabwe Council of Copyright (Zicco), with a particular focus on the challenges facing artistes, especially musicians.

The hearings will begin in Harare on August 31 at Rainbow Towers Hotel before moving to Bulawayo on September 1 at Amakhosi Theatre. Masvingo will host the hearings on September 2 at Masvingo Civic Centre, followed by Mutare on September 3 at Queens Hall. The programme will conclude in Chinhoyi on September 4 at Cooksey Hall.

In a Facebook, Parliament said the hearings were intended to give artistes an opportunity to contribute to the discussion surrounding collective management of music rights and the challenges affecting musicians.

“Who really owns the music? The conversation is coming to the people who matter most. The Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services will hold public hearings on the collective management of Zimbabwe Music Rights (Zimura) and the Zimbabwe Council of Copyright (Zicco), focusing on the challenges and plight of musicians,” Parliament said.

The hearings are expected to provide a platform for musicians and other stakeholders to air their grievances, share experiences and make submissions on how the country’s collective rights management system can be improved.

The initiative comes amid long-standing concerns within the creative sector over the administration of artistes’ rights, royalty collection and distribution, as well as the broader challenges affecting the livelihoods of musicians.

The hearings could therefore provide an important opportunity for Parliament to gather first-hand accounts from artistes while assessing the effectiveness of the institutions tasked with protecting and administering their rights.

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