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Zimura raps anti-piracy organisation

Life & Style
Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) has lashed out at alleged bogus associations fanning piracy in the country. The association also appealed to the police to ignore calls for selective application of the anti-piracy law. In an interview during the Copyright Awareness Campaign Workshop in Mutare with numerous artists, Zimura director Polisile Ncube said calls by […]

Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) has lashed out at alleged bogus associations fanning piracy in the country.

The association also appealed to the police to ignore calls for selective application of the anti-piracy law. In an interview during the Copyright Awareness Campaign Workshop in Mutare with numerous artists, Zimura director Polisile Ncube said calls by other associations to weaken the anti-piracy campaign were retrogressive in the fight against piracy.

Her plea comes following Anti-Piracy Organisation of Zimbabwe (Apoz)’s call to police to apply the copyright act selectively.

Apoz executive director Innocent Matsengarwodzi wrote to Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri requesting police to allow pirated CDs from outside the country to be sold in the country.

In a recent interview, Matsengarwodzi admitted writing to Chihuri, but denied he was fanning piracy. Ncube insists Matsengarwodzi is derailing the fight against piracy.

“We have an association in Zimbabwe (Apoz) which is throwing spanners in the fight to wipe out piracy,” Ncube said.

“This organisation used to be our affiliate but it defected and they are now trying to protect pirates from being raided by authentic copyright holders.” She said piracy has reached alarming levels and ignoring the notorious crime would be fatal because the welfare of artists would continue to be adversely affected.

“The welfare of artists should be protected because they play a pivotal role in the cultural and social fabric of our country. Why should we apply the Copyright Act selectively yet we are the signatory of the Intellectual Property Rights?” questioned Ncube. The one-day workshop was to educate artists on their rights and how they can get their royalties in the face of rampant piracy.