Musician Nonini Awarded Ksh 4 Million in Landmark Copyright Case

Written By Lisa Murimi

Popular musician Nonini, formally known as Hubert Nakitare, has won a Ksh 4 million judgment in a copyright infringement case against an influencer and a television manufacturing company. 

The ruling, delivered by Principal Magistrate H.M. Ng’ang’a in the commercial court, marks a significant victory for content creators in Kenya as the country strengthens its intellectual property laws.

The case centered around a video posted on social media featuring Nonini’s hit song, *We Kamu*, without his permission. 

The video, originally created by the influencer, was reposted by the company on its corporate social media accounts. 

Nonini argued that he had not authorized the use of his song in the commercial post and had suffered financial loss as a result.

The court found the defendants liable for illegal publishing and ordered them to pay Nonini Ksh 4 million in general damages. 

The judgment also directed that profits from the infringement be recovered, along with additional interest costs. 

While Nonini’s request for aggravated and punitive damages was denied, the court’s decision to award compensation based on reasonable royalty rates set an important precedent for future copyright cases in Kenya.