The Law of Copyright and its Effects on Musical Works in Uganda: A Critique

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Declaration .................................................................................................... .i

Approval. ...................................................................................................... ii

Dedication ..................................................................................................... iii

Acknowledgement .......................................................................................... .iv

List of acronyms .............................................................................................. v

List of legislations .......................................................................................... vii

List of international treaties .............................................................................. viii

List of cases ................................................................................................... ix

Abstract ......................................................................................................... x

CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION ......................................................... !

l.l.Background of the study ............................................................................... 1 1.2.Statemeut of the problem ............................................................................... 2

1.3.0bjective of the study ................................................................................... 3

1.4. Research questions ..................................................................................... .3

l.S.Hypotheses ................................................................................................. 3

1.6.Scope of the study ...................................................................................... .4

1. 7 .Methodology .................................................................................................. 4

l.S.Literature review ......................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER 2: THE PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY OF COPYRIGHT LAW ................ 9

2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 9

2.2. The theoretical foundations of copyright protection ............................................ 1 0

2.3. The origins of English copyright law .............................................................. 12

2.4. The development of copyright law in Uganda ................................................... 13

2.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 15

CHAPTER 3: COPYRIGHT LAW AND MUSICAL WORKS IN UGANDA ................ 16

3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 16

3.2. Ugandan legislations connected to copyright ..................................................... 16

3.3. Uganda's international copyright obligations ............................................................. 19

3.4. Scope of copyright protection in Uganda ......................................................... 21

3.5. Musical works in Uganda ............................................................................. 22

3.6. Key judicial decisions in Uganda concerning copyright ....................................... 28

3. 7. Conclusion ............................................................................................... 31

CHAPTER 4: IMPACT ASSESSMENT INTERVIEWS ........................................ 33

4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 33

4.2. Participants ............................................................................................ .33

4.2.1 The Bench .............................................................................................. 33

4.2.2. The Bar ................................................................................................ 38

4.2.3. Administrators and enforcers .................................................................... .41

4.2.4 Copyright-Holders ................................................................................... .42

4.2.5. The user community .............................................................................. .43

4.3. Conclusion ............................................................................................. .47

CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ................ .49

5.1. Findings ................................................................................................. .49

5.2. Recommendations ..................................................................................... 51

5.3. Conclusions .............................................................................................. 51

BIBILIOGRAGHY .......................................................................................... 53

CHAPTER!

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

l.l.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For the vast majority of Ugandans, the law of copyright1 is the least of their concerns given that it is a relatively recent development in Uganda as it was first introduced by the British during their colonial regime in Uganda. In colonial times, Uganda was a protectorate rather than a colony - a system of indirect rule that granted Uganda some degree of autonomy from the British administration? In Uganda, the law of copyright was initially designed to protect British authors of literary, artistic, scientific and musical works within the Ugandan protectorate.