By Freda Kabatsi
KIGALI, OCTOBER 18, 2023 (CISA)– The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) has emerged as the Best Overall Team (Anglophone) at the 8th Edition of the Ipeace Great Lakes Regional Moot Court Competition held in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 8 to 14, 2023.
The team comprising of Mr Kenson Mutethia and Miss Jacinta Waititu emerged top after beating Makerere University Law School in a hotly contested final that was held at the Rwanda Supreme Court of Justice in Kigali. The competition attracted a multitude of Law Schools from Eastern African Countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC and Burundi.
The Vice-Chancellor and Rector of CUEA, Rev Fr Prof. Stephen Mbugua Ngari lauded the team for this great achievement, as the CUEA Law School entered the competition as defending champions from the 7th Edition held in December 2019, where the team scooped the Best Overall Team as well as the Best Pleadings and Best Coach awards.
The fictitious case in the competition highlighted various violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in the Great Lakes region. Elizabeth Musikali, a law lecturer, who accompanied the team intimated that she was highly impressed with the maturity and confidence exuded by the students as they responded to tough questions by the Judges.
Freda Kabatsi, the Head of Department, Public Law and Moot Court Coordinator, also stated that the moot court culture is very vibrant at CUEA thus allowing students to experience the practical nature of law. Njeri Kang’ethe, the acting Dean of CUEA Faculty of Law, in congratulating the team said that she expected no less from the duo as the Law School boasts of a culture of excellence with highly trained and skilled instructors who have wholeheartedly participated in the formation of these students.
The week’s events, also constituted an in-depth training on International Humanitarian Law by various experts in the field.
The CUEA Faculty of Law was incepted in 2005 and offers three programmes; a Diploma in Law, a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB), and a Master of Laws Degree (LLM), which will commence in January 2024. All the programmes are fully accredited by the Commission for University Education and the Council for Legal Education in Kenya.
