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IN a move aimed at empowering financially constrained musicians, the Zimbabwe Council of Copyrights has reduced its registration and membership fee for artists in Manicaland Province.
Creatives are now required to pay only US$5 to cover the production of their membership cards. This initiative seeks to remove the financial barriers that have kept many creatives outside formal representation, aligning with the Government’s ease-of-doing-business policy.
It also comes ahead of ZICCO’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled to take place in Mutare next month.
In a statement, ZICCO chief executive officer Tafadzwa Masembura said preparations for hosting the AGM are at an advanced stage.
“The registration of more members from the host province is part of the organisation’s growth plan to reach every corner of the country and grow in line with the Government’s devolution policy,” he said.
“The drive, running under the theme ‘Protecting Creativity, Powering the Future’, is intended to bring more artists into a protected creative community where their intellectual property, welfare and professional interests are safeguarded,” he said.
Masembura, whose organisation currently has a strong presence in Harare, Bulawayo, and Gweru, noted that Masvingo and Mutare need urgent attention.
“The US$5 fee, which is specifically meant to cover the production of membership cards, unlocks a range of benefits for registered members. These include access to royalties generated from the use of their creative works, funeral cover, legal assistance and medical aid. The current drive is expected to ensure that artists in Manicaland can immediately benefit from medical, funeral and legal support initiatives,” he added.
ZICCO has urged artists across the province to take advantage of the reduced registration fee before November 10. “Registration is a critical step towards securing rights and accessing a wider network of support services,” said Masembura.
Founded in 2023, ZICCO has positioned itself as an organisation focused on protecting creators’ rights and promoting copyright awareness in Zimbabwe. As a registered collective management organisation, its core mandate is to collect, manage, and distribute royalties on behalf of copyright holders, including artists, music composers, producers and arts associations.
