A public spat has erupted between Eddie Butita, Octopizzo and Dennis Itumbi exposing deep divisions within Kenya’s music industry over intellectual property rights.
The exchange followed a recent meeting between President William Ruto and a group of creatives, including Butita, aimed at addressing challenges facing the sector.
Shortly after, Butita took to X to reveal what he described as a “very sad” reality: more than 30 artists allegedly do not own their music or image rights.
According to Butita, the situation has stalled careers, with some artists unable to release new music or secure endorsements because they lack control over their work.
He further claimed that attempts to exit exploitative contracts have led to lawsuits abroad, with some artists reportedly facing penalties of up to $1 million.
“We sit in these meetings not as politicians, but as citizens advocating for policies that shape how our industry operates,” he wrote, framing the engagement as a push for reform.
“This has had serious consequences: many music groups have stopped releasing songs because anything they create does not belong to them, and they cannot secure endorsements since they don’t own their image rights,” he added.
Earlier this week, I was in a meeting that was honestly very sad. Over 30 artists do not own their music yes most of the hits you know, their names, or even the rights to their images and this is in perpetuity. This has had serious consequences: many music groups have stopped… pic.twitter.com/XCsfd3hl6u
— Eddie Butita OGW (@eddiebutita) April 3, 2026
However, Octopizzo fired back dismissing Butita’s remarks as oversimplified and misinformed. He argued that the issue of copyright and artist exploitation is longstanding and cannot be addressed through proximity to power or public commentary alone.
“This matter cannot be reduced to personalities… it is a question of policy, law, and institutional reform,” Octopizzo said, pointing to over a decade of unresolved concerns around copyright protection and fair remuneration.
The rapper emphasised the need for legislative changes, stronger regulatory frameworks, and accountability within collective management organisations such as the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK). He also questioned Butita’s expertise in the matter, insisting that intellectual property advocacy requires technical understanding.
Octopizzo further noted that many disputes stem from legally binding contracts, particularly in international markets, which cannot simply be undone through public pressure. Instead, he urged better legal guidance for artists at the point of signing deals.
This caught the attention of Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination Dennis Itumbi who defended Butita and advised Octpizzo to get his facts right.
“I am willing to engage you on FACTS, kuja ofisi and raise the issues, I show you the progress and we agree on what remains and we do it. @eddiebutita is doing the little he can, he is aligned to FACTS and SOLUTIONS. Join him and let is contribute to solving,” he said.
Octopizzo didn’t take it lightly and further called out Dennis Itumbi to stop misleading artists, disputing claims that collective management organisations (CMOs) had been “fixed” and were paying out 70 per cent of royalties via eCitizen.
He challenged Itumbi to provide at least one verifiable list of artists who had been paid, arguing that most had not received any money. He also questioned why the government was handling private royalties, stating that under Kenya’s Copyright Act, the funds belong to artists, not the State.
He further sought clarification on how the funds were moved to eCitizen without artists’ consent, adding that CMOs do not represent all artists but only those who mandate them.
He concluded by calling for transparency, urging for a public forum where audited reports, legal backing, and proof of payment could be presented openly.
