Reactive Kenyans attack Sauti Sol over Azimio stance

BRIAN NDUNG'U Lifestyle, Entertainment journalist

17 May 2022

• Sauti Sol expressed their disappointment in the Raila Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja coalition.

• Should we blame ignorance and lack of basic know-how on how these things work?.

On Monday night, multi-award-winning band, Sauti Sol released a statement expressing their disappointment in the Raila Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja coalition.

This was after the political movement used their popular Extravaganza song without their consent in an event in which they were unveiling Martha Karua as Raila Odinga's running mate.

"This is blatant copyright infringement as directed by section 35, CAP 170 of the Copyright Act of Kenya," read Sauti sol's statement.

"We did not license this song to the Azimio la Umoja Campaign neither did we give any consent for its use in the announcement of their Vice-Presidential Candidate. Furthermore, our authority to use the composition, which is one of our most distinct compositions was neither sought nor given."

Terming Azimio's actions as a 'flagrant disregard of our basic and fundamental rights to property,' the boy band distanced themselves from the political outfit.

"We would like to make it very clear to our fans, partners, and associates, we are not aligned to nor associated with the Azimio La Umoja Campaign or any other Political movement and/or party their presidential aspirants, vice presidential aspirants and candidates at large. We are fully apolitical."

As Sauti Sol plan to seek legal remedy, one thing was clear the moment they shared their statement with their fans, or rather with Kenyans on social media.

They have a long way to go not just them but every creative. A number of Kenyans on Twitter reacted in a rather surprising fashion to creatives they have grown to love and adore.

Instead of supporting them and wanting them to be fully compensated, some let their political preferences cloud their judgment.

Check out some of the reactions.

It is good that amidst all the hate and probably ignorance from some Kenyans regarding how copyright laws work, there were a couple of them who tried to help them understand where Sauti Sol was coming from.

My question is, should we blame it on ignorance and lack of basic know-how on how these things work? Are we just turning a blind eye based on who has infringed who's copyrights?

Because trust me, if we don't unite and help our creatives grow and eat from where they sow blood sweat, and tears, then they will end up poor and we will blame them for not 'investing' when they had the chance.

Protect KE music as much as we advocate for playing KE music.