MUM condemns piracy of Grace Chinga album

The Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM) has condemned the tendency of pirating works of arts, more especially the yet-to-be-released Grace Chinga’s album.

Chinga, who died last week after a short illness, left behind albums at Aligiza and Groove Magic Studios. But barely a week after her death, an album trading under the titleN’dzaulura has already been pirated and is on the market.

MUM president Chimwemwe Mhango said in an interview that the act is “inhuman, disheartening and sad”.

He said: “Grace Chinga is gone, leaving behind children and a mother. And yet some people just want to benefit over the orphaned children. We have not done justice to her and the children by pirating the album.”

Mhango said MUM is investigating the matter to find out how the album was leaked. He said he will issue a statement when investigations are complete.

He, however, said piracy is an evil that needs to be tamed by passing the revised Copyright Act.

“Government and the general public must understand that laws on piracy are very weak. We are banking on Parliament to pass the Bill in its next sitting,” said Mhango.

Meanwhile, Mhango said plans are underway to organise an event or a launch show of Chinga’s album to raise funds for the support of the orphaned children.

In a related development, music icon Soldier Lucius Banda, whose album was also pirated immediately after release, took to Facebook to register his concern over Chinga’s pirated album.

“She left this album unreleased. She left three young children. We gathered in huge multitude claiming we loved her.

“Today, someone is selling a pirated copy of the album, and we are buying it. Do we know what we want in life Malawians?” wrote Lucius on his Facebook page.