By Khumbo Kaliwo:
Musicians Rights Forum (MRF) has said it is there to supplement other creative organisations’ works, focusing much on rights of musicians.
MRF was established in 2020 and registered in 2022 by the government of Malawi under trusteeship.
The organisation said there were gaps in terms of rights of musicians and that it wants to look into those affairs and not necessarily replicating roles of other players such as Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) and Musicians Union of Malawi (Mum).
“We are mainly concentrating on rights of musicians and we are looking at other projects like training musicians both urban and rural. There will be a membership but the programmes we will be running will target even those who are not members,” MRF Vice Chairperson Stanley Nyandoro Mthenga said.
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The ‘Wako ndi Wako’ star said the development was part of growing the music industry.
“This is not about competition or fighting creative organisations that are there. You will agree with me that there are issues that other organisations are failing to fulfill, and that is where we are coming in,” he said.
Mthenga said gone are the days when musicians “should only be considered when there is terminal illness or death”.
Director of Arts in the Department of Arts in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Humphrey Mpondaminga has since said they have welcomed MRF.
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“We looked at their role in the sector and those of other players and we found out that they are doing something different,” Mpondaminga said during MRF sensitisation meeting held at Capital City Motel in Lilongwe on Tuesday.
He further said it was time that musicians were formally recognised as part of the labour market.
“There are a number of issues but one of the critical one is how much an artist is being paid, there must be a minimum wage,” Mpondaminga said
He said that the issues of lobbying for things for the betterment of the creative industry, including removal of tax weaver on music gadgets, can work better if musicians came together and operated in proper groups like MRF.
“Speaking with one voice or through organisations like MRF is the right thing. As musicians, they can work on the agenda and submit such an issue that we should engage the Minister of Finance,” Mpondaminga said.
