Kenyan Publishers Lose Sh300 Million Annually as Digital Piracy Persists
Annually, local book publishers lose up to Sh300 million to piracy.
Republishing content unlawfully has discouraged talented authors from writing.
Kenya Publishers Association chairman Kiarie Kamau reported that their industry has faced numerous challenges.
He pointed out that they are currently dealing with the issue of piracy, causing them to lose over Sh300 million annually to pirates.
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Yesterday, during a media briefing in Nairobi, Kamau spoke about the forthcoming Nairobi International Book Fair, which will be held from September 27 to October 1 at the Sarit Expo Centre.
Despite efforts by the Anti-Counterfeiting Authority and Kenya Corporate Board to curb digital piracy, Kamau stated that piracy remains a major problem in the industry.
The 2008 Anti-Counterfeiting Act mandated that the organization fight counterfeit trade and support public education initiatives regarding illegal businesses.
This year, the book exhibition, which has increased from 105 to 120 stands, will focus on young people.
In 2018, the government centralized the previously decentralized system of publishing curriculum texts.
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He stated that Kenya is the sole country in Africa that has managed to attain a balanced ratio in terms of providing books to primary and secondary school students.
Mary Miana, chair of the book fair, stated that the annual gathering of publishing professionals aims to bridge the gap between the industry and the community.
To encourage the public to purchase books, Kamau urged the government to remove Value-Added Tax from books.
Kenyan Publishers Lose Sh300 Million Annually as Digital Piracy Persists
