Ambassador Juma Mwapachu, the East African Community secretary general

By Richard Musani

MANY a sing or researcher in Uganda cannot come up with a new song or product and be rest assured that they will gain from it fully.

This is because the intellectual property law is not taken serious or fully enforced to protect innovators.

That why is it important for Ugandans and East Africans generally to understand intellectual property rights laws, most especially with the coming into force of the East African Community (EAC) common market.

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind like inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names and images used in commerce.

Intellectual property is divided into industrial property and copyright.

As East Africa implements the common market, an operational intellectual property rights policy is key.

We, therefore, ought to take the lead in advocating for intellectual property rights to guard our innovations. Remember that individual member states will concentrate on areas where they enjoy comparative advantage.

In our case, other than agricultural produce, we can have an edge in education, tourism and the music industry. These are key areas that require protection from piracy.

The intense competition in the local telecom industry has, for example, spurred innovations, with service products like caller tunes where customers request for their favourite song, at a fee, for their receiving end telephony.

With a copy right law in place, singers benefit from such innovations and contribute to our GDP growth.

The intellectual property law is also vital in motivating SMEs with export-led strategies and brand development, especially as the industrial sector grows.

Patents that protect inventions such as industrial designs and manufacturing processes are also key. A patent gives the inventor or innovator exclusive rights to make or use the invention for a particular period of time.

The inventor is granted an economic incentive to take risks and create. This protects industrial development and motivates research and product development.

The writer is a marketing specialist. Email: musanirichie@gmail.com