Firirinda dance challenge has taken over social media by storm since Super Tuesday when county assemblies unanimously passed the BBI bill.
The dance craze all started when Kiambu MCAs danced to the Gikuyu vernacular song ‘Firirinda’ moments after they passed the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2020 on Tuesday.
The song went viral as mount Kenya counties passed BBI bill, with people on social media taking part in Firirinda Dance Challenge.
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Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) has since cautioned Kenyans against jumping on the ‘Firirinda’ bandwagon without asking for consent from the song’s creator.
The viral vernacular song was released more than 35 years ago by Dick Njoroge alias Munyonyi.
The veteran singer now depends on well-wishers for upkeep because he cannot sing anymore after he lost his voice.
In a statement on Thursday, KECOBO warned that the viral challenge might turn out like the Jerusalema challenge, where record company Warner is demanding license fees for the use of the song in the videos.
“Make sure you are not caught on the wrong side of the law with the current Firirinda craze. Get authority from the author if you want to make a derivative work of it. Jerusalema craze now haunts many.
Don’t blindly fall for every craze. It may lead you into trouble with the law. The law stipulates that the owner of the copyright has the exclusive right to control the distribution, reproduction and any derivative works,” KECOBO warned.
