Janzi Band founder Ssewa Ssewa takes on FUFA over copyright infringement

Ugandan musician James Ssewakiryanga, popularly known as Ssewa Ssewa, has accused the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) of using his registered trademark “Janzi” without permission on the Uganda Cranes’ sportswear.

The singer argues that the word “JANZI” printed on the top left of the Uganda Cranes jersey  alongside the FUFA badge is a blatant case of trademark theft.

Ssewa Ssewa claims the term is his intellectual property and says it was registered and protected under the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Harare Protocol.

In a social media post, Ssewa Ssewa alleged that FUFA had adopted his trademark without consent. 

He said he invented the Janzi in Uganda and later registered and patented it in October 2017.

He wrote that the trademark is “Protected under ARIPO — Harare Protocol” and accused the football body of now using “JANZI” on Uganda Cranes sportswear as its official branding.

“They've even warned the public against ‘counterfeit Janzi merchandise’. A football federation. Using an artist's registered name. Without permission. This is intellectual property theft. On Ugandan soil. Against a Ugandan creator,” he added.

However, some lawyers have dismissed Ssewa Ssewa’s argument, noting that he cannot copy a well known and used Luganda word.

“‘Janzi’ protection (if any) lies in trademark not copyright or patents. A common Luganda word can’t be owned in the abstract, only within a defined class and use,” noted one social media user Jerah.

“FUFA’s jersey use likely sits outside Janzi Band’s commercial scope, so infringement is doubtful...my opinion though.”

Background on the Janzi instrument

The Janzi is a modern Ugandan string instrument developed by Ssewa Ssewa in 2015. The 22-string chordophone, inspired by the traditional adungu, is used by the Janzi Band to blend traditional Ugandan sounds with contemporary music.

The musician later moved to secure intellectual property protection for the name and instrument.

By the time of publication, FUFA had not issued an official response to the allegations.