Gospel Musician and “Ninyandue” Hitmaker William Getumbe arrested in Eldoret
The disputed videos include “Yesu Ninyande – Imejaa” and “Yesu Ninyandue – Nyonga.”
Gospel Musician William Getumbe Arrested by KFCB in Eldoret/ Image Tuko
Kenyan Gospel musician William Getumbe, known for his hit song “Yesu Ninyandue,” was arrested on Tuesday and held overnight at Kapsoya police cells. The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) issued a demand letter on February 29th requiring him to pay KSh 243,200 in licensing fees for music videos uploaded to his YouTube channel between January and February.
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The disputed videos include “Yesu Ninyandue – Imejaa” and “Yesu Ninyandue – Nyonga.” The KFCB also demanded Getumbe remove the videos from circulation and cease broadcasting them for non-compliance with the Films and Stage Plays Act.
Getumbe, through his lawyer Marc Chirchir, has filed a lawsuit against the KFCB and its CEO . The lawsuit alleges a contravention of Getumbe’s rights and freedoms enshrined in Articles 22, 27, 33, 35, 40, and 47 of the Kenyan Constitution and the Films and Stage Plays Act (Cap 222).
“Getumbe maintains his innocence,” said lawyer Chirchir. “We believe the KFCB is acting outside their legal mandate and infringing on his constitutional rights.”
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between Kenyan artists and regulatory bodies concerning content creation and licensing fees. The outcome of the lawsuit will be closely watched by the creative industry in Kenya.
Getumbe was arrested at 10:00 Pm by KFCB officers who were accompanied by police officers from the Kapsoya police Station where he is currently being held.
Speaking to Hubz Media Digital recently, Getumbe contested the KFCB’s licensing fee of over Ksh 200,000, claiming he hasn’t made enough money from his hit songs to warrant such a cost.
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