Copyright in ‘contest-created’ works: Ugandan Court of Appeal weighs private interests and public benefit vis-à-vis Uganda’s national anthem

Abstract

Court of Appeal of Uganda, Theresa Kokoma v Attorney General Civil, Appeal No 50 of 2011, 15 July 2019 The Ugandan Court of Appeal recently found that copyright in the song incorporated in the Ugandan nation anthem belonged to the Government of Uganda and the composer was not entitled to any royalties: the circumstance that the Government had organized the contest which resulted in the musical work meant that the musical work was made under its own direction and control.