Microsoft sets up online system for copyright owners
Residents access Internet services at a Huduma Kenya centre in Nyeri town. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
The IP Hub will be available across the country through Huduma Centres and artist will be required to pay Sh1,000 as registration fees.
Artists, software developers and other owners of intellectual property will have an opportunity to register their works online on an automated system developed by Microsoft and the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo).
The new system, dubbed IP Hub, will replace the current manual process of registering intellectual property (IP) in Kenya, and involves downloading registration forms, paying via M-Pesa and submitting the forms at the Kecobo offices.
The IP Hub will be available across the country through Huduma Centres and artist will be required to pay Sh1,000 as registration fees.
“The goal is to provide a learning resource for innovators, where they can understand all the ins and outs of copyright, trademarks, patents and general IP protection,” said Louis Otieno, director of legal and corporate affairs at Microsoft 4Afrika.
“Together with Kecobo, we’re now moving to the next step to create a system where users, after learning about how to protect their IP, can easily go online, register their work and receive the necessary legal documents.”
Marisella Ouma, executive director at Kecobo said the main objective of the IP Hub is to enable developers to monetise their software apps, make them profitable and create jobs.
“We have been working closely with the Microsoft 4Afrika IP Hub to develop an online system that makes registering IP faster and more accessible,” said Dr Ouma.
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