In September 2023, the University of Nairobi’s Law Faculty secured the runner-up position in the fiercely competitive 2023 All African Moot Court Competition. This prestigious event unfolded at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, spanning from the 3rd to the 9th of September, and drew participation from law schools across 17 African nations.

The competition’s themed, “The Africa We Want,” addressed important issues like illegal mining, climate change, education, harmful practices, and the rights of gender and sexual minorities in Africa. It challenged participants to apply their legal knowledge to real-world problems. With 92 teams from 19 African countries participating, it was a significant event.

This annual competition, which started in 1992, plays a crucial role in legal education in Africa. It trains future lawyers to argue cases involving human rights violations, as if they were presenting before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

While the University of Nairobi’s team did not win the championship, their journey to the finals deserves recognition. The team members, Njapit Ntikiya and Trevor Kamau, represented their university with distinction.

The All African Moot Court Competition has had a lasting impact beyond the event itself. It has played a significant role in shaping human rights teaching and research across Africa. Over the years, 170 universities from 47 African countries have participated, making it a permanent fixture in African legal education. It has also led to the establishment of important human rights programs, cultivating a new generation of African legal professionals dedicated to justice and human rights.

As we celebrate the University of Nairobi’s impressive performance and their role as ambassadors, we also recognize the competition’s profound influence on legal education and the pursuit of justice in Africa. It is through events like this that we continue to shape the legal landscape in our continent and work toward achieving “The Africa We Want.”