Kenyan Law Students Beat 38 Universities to Win Africa’s Biggest Moot Court Contest

A team of Kenyan law students has beaten their counterparts from 38 universities in Africa to emerge the winners of the African Human Rights Moot Court Competition, the biggest of its kind on the continent.

Sidney Tambasi and Martin Kioko from Kenyatta University trounced a combined team of Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique) in the finals.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals of the competition were held at Stellenbosch University. 

The Kenyatta University team shared the victory stage with Ivory Coast’s Félix Houphouët (Boigny University) in a format that sort to merge one English-speaking team with one French-speaking team to form one group for either side of the finalists.

Tambasi and Kioko were part of a team that beat UK’s Oxford University in the semis of last year’s Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition.

“We are greatly indebted to everyone that supported us and ensured that we make the podium finish,” said Tambasi shortly after they were announced as the winners at Stellenbosch University.

The African Human Rights Moot Court Competition brings together students, scholars, practitioners, and leading jurists in Africa for a one-week contest.