Kenyan hip-hop star Hubert Nakitare, better known as Nonini, is once again asserting his rights over his intellectual property this time against luxury car dealership Carstore Hub Limited.
Through his advocate James T. Makori, Nonini has accused the company of using his hit track “Kadhaa” without permission in a promotional video shared widely across social media in early May 2025.
The video, featuring Carstore’s brand ambassador Isaac Otesa alias “Goliath wa Bungoma,” was used to advertise high-end vehicles but reportedly included synchronized audio from “Kadhaa”; a move Nonini’s legal team says required a synchronization license which was never obtained.
In a legal demand dated June 10, Makori argues that the unauthorized use of the song for commercial benefit constitutes copyright infringement under Kenya’s Copyright Act (Cap 130).
The letter asserts that only the composer or publisher can grant synchronization rights — which Nonini did not.
Notably, this isn’t Nonini’s first legal battle over his music. In a landmark 2022 ruling, he won a copyright infringement case against influencer Brian Mutinda and Syinix Electronics for similar unauthorized use of his music in an online ad.
The court ordered Mutinda to pay Nonini KSh 1 million, however after an appeal, Mutinda was ordered to pay Ksh. 4 Million.
