An anti-piracy task force arrested two suspects for distributing pirated content in a joint operation led by the Partners Against Piracy (PAP) Association of Kenya, with the support of the National Police and the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).
The task force conducted a sting operation in the Githunguri and Kasarani areas, shutting down two illegal internet streaming sites.
The raid led to the arrest of two suspects involved in the illegal distribution and sale of login credentials to access premium content.
Authorities seized key equipment, including two phones, two laptops, and 65 unauthorized login accounts.
Mike Strano, chairman of PAP and co-founder of MyMovies.Africa, emphasized that the raid highlights Partners Against Piracy’s continuous efforts to combat piracy and safeguard the rights of content creators in Kenya.
“The distribution of pirated content by the suspects not only undermines the Kenyan economy, but also harms the entertainment industry and content creators. This illegal activity deprives the rightful owners of their due revenues and affects overall investment in quality content creation.”
Frederick Saramba, Head of Detection & Enforcement at PAP and Anti-Piracy Manager at MultiChoice Kenya, added that illegal streaming operators promise unlimited access to premium content at extremely low subscription fees, compounding the challenges of shutting them down.
“Pirates continue to profit from content they have not invested in. They are stealing high quality finished products that represent significant investment in terms of money, time and talent, posing a significant threat to the local creative industry,” Saramba said.
Bernard Kioko, Deputy Head of Detection & Enforcement at PAP and founder of Bernsoft, added; “As an association that continuously protects the content of our creators, we remain committed to the fight against piracy and we call on Kenyans to help us combat this menace by sharing tips on such activities, even as we prepare for the upcoming Euro 2024. We believe that together we can develop and grow a robust local creative economy.”
PAP estimates that piracy exacts a heavy toll on the country’s creative economy, amounting to approximately Kes. 92 billion annually, or Kes. 252 million in gross losses every day.
For instance, the report reveals that piracy deprives the music industry of Kes. 15 billion and TV stations of Kes. 8 billion each year.
An Irdeto survey indicates that piracy is on the rise, with users in five major African territories, including Kenya, making 17.4 million visits to the top 10 identified piracy sites on the Internet within a three-month period.
