The final round of the 25th African Human Rights Moot Court Competition was held at the Constitutional Court of South Africa on Saturday, 8 October 2016. The finalist teams consisted of the top Francophone, top Lusophone and two top Anglophone teams who emerged from the preliminary rounds that were held on 3 and 4 October. Appearing for the Applicant team were Stellenbosch University from South Africa and Institute Universitaire d'Abijan from Côte d'Ivoire, and arguing for the Respondent team were Makere University from Uganda and the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane from Mozambique.

The bench of judges was composed of Dr Fraida Mamad, a member of the National Human Rights Commission of Mozambique; Advocate Bahame Tom Nyanduga, Chairman of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance of Tanzania and former member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; Justice Mumba Mila, Judge of the Supreme Court of Zambia and former member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; Justice Raymond Zondo, a judge of the South African Constitutional Court; Advocate Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights as well as the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa; and Maître Armand Tanoh, a legal practitioner in France and former African Human Rights Moot Court Coordinator at the Centre for Human Rights. Justice Raymond Zondo presided.

Both the Applicant and the Respondent teams consisted of four counsels who tackled one issue each. The session lasted for two hours, after which a break was taken for the judges to deliberate. It was indeed a battle of the titans. Both teams displayed legal prowess and advanced litigation skills. The judges were so impressed by their extensive knowledge of international law and advocacy skills that Justice Zondo commented that if there had been law firms present, the finalists would have been given instant employment.

The closing ceremony was moderated by Professor Frans Viljoen, the Director of the University of Pretoria's Centre for Human Rights (CHR). Professor Johann van der Westhuizen, founding Director of the CHR and retired Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, addressed this year's participants by giving a brief history of the early days of the Centre and how the African Moot Court came into being. In his highly enjoyable and motivational speech, Prof Van der Westhuizen emphasised the need to possess the following qualities to become a good lawyer and an active role-player in society: intelligence, diligence, integrity, independence, good values, Ubuntu, a sense of humour, love for one's country and continent, a desire to empower others through your privilege and the ability to dream.

Professor Viljoen thanked all the participants, faculty representatives, volunteers and judges for their contribution to the success of the 25th African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. He also expressed special appreciation to the sponsors of the competition: the European Union in collaboration with the Global Campus of Human Rights, the United States Embassy in South Africa and the Norwegian Embassy in South Africa. Prof Viljoen also announced that the 26th African Human Rights Moot Court Competition would be hosted by the University of Mauritius in 2017.   

Mr Norman Taku, the Assistant Director of the CHR, took to the podium to announce the results of the competition.

Winning team: Applicants with Justice Raymond Zondo

Runners up: Respondents with Advocate Pansy Tlakula

Best oralist, English: Thomas White with Advocate Bahame Tom Nyanduga

Best oralist, French: Harouna Sawadogo with Mr Armand Tanoh

Best oralist, Portuguese: Pedro Tembe with Dr Farida Mamad

Best memorials, English: Moi University, Kenya, with Justice Johann van der Westhuizen

Best memorials, French: Université de Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Best memorials, Portuguese: Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique, with Mr Johannes Buabeng-Baidoo

 

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Results

ENGLISH RESULTS

The top ten English teams from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Stellenbosch University, South Africa
2. University of Pretoria, South Africa
3. Makerere University, Uganda
4. Strathmore University, Kenya
5. Moi University, Kenya
6. University of Lagos, Nigeria
7. Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
8. University of the Gambia
9. Kabarak University, Kenya
10. University of Nairobi, Kenya

The top ten English oralists from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Thomas White, University of Pretoria, South Africa (84,3958)
2. Sandra Muthoni Bucha, Strathmore University, Kenya (82,2708)
3. Mudzuli Rakhivhane, Stellenbosch University, South Africa (82,0833)
4. Onwabile Gasela Avuyile, Stellenbosch University, South Africa (82,0625)
5. Abel Ndlovu, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe (81,2292)
6. Tatenda Brian Madziba, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe (81,2083)
7. Thandeka Nokwanda Khoza, University of Pretoria, South Africa (80,8958)
8. Phyllis Kasyoka  Mutunga, Strathmore University, Kenya (80,7708)
9. Simon Ssenyonga, Makerere University, Uganda (80,75)
10. Judith Maryanne Aboto, Makerere University, Uganda (80,1667)

The top ten English memorials from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Moi University, Kenya(83)
2. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana (81,25)
3. University of Lagos, Nigeria (79,5)
4. University of Malawi (78,25)
5. Makerere University, Uganda (78,25)
6. Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya (77,75)
7. University of Ilorin, Nigeria (77)
8. Haramaya University, Ethiopia (77)
9. Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ghana (76)
10. Stellenbosch University, South Africa(75,75)

FRENCH RESULTS

The top two French teams from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Institut Universitaire d'Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
2. Université Gaston Berger de Saint Louis, Senegal

The top two French oralists from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Harouna Sawadogo, Université Félix Huphouet Boigny de Cocody,  Côte d'Ivoire (69,79)
2. Bisuakudia Christine Tshisungu, Institut Universitaire d'Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (67,42)

The top two French memorials from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Université de Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (84)
2. Université Gaston Berger de Saint Louis, Senegal (83,5)

PORTUGUESE RESULTS

The top two Portuguese teams from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique
2. Universidade Jean Piaget de Angola

The top two Portuguese oralists from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Pedro Tembe, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique (59,125)
2. Leopoldina Gouveia, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique (58,8333)

The top two Portuguese memorials from the preliminary rounds are:

1. Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique (80,75)
2. Universidade Jean Piaget de Angola (80)

FINAL ROUND

Winning team

• Applicant – Combined team of Stellenbosch University, South Africa and Institut Universitaire d'Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Runners up

• Respondent – Combined team of Makere University, Uganda and  Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique

All participants received a certificate of participation.

A closing dinner was held at Utopia Place in honour of all the participants, faculty representatives, volunteers and organisers. It had a relaxed atmosphere which allowed the participants to reflect on how wonderful the past week had been.