African Moot

The best law students from many African countries compete in the annual African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. This edition is being held in Botswana. Who is the best mooter? They argue fictional cases, alternating between prosecution and defense. This year’s focus is on the rights of refugees—no less than a quarter of all refugees in the world are found in Africa.

During the preparation and the competition itself, we get to know participants from Uganda, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt, as well as their background and motivation. They include an LGBTQ+ activist who is the son of a refugee, a highly ambitious young woman from a poor district in Kenya, and two competitors from Uganda’s Makerere University, competing with the alma mater’s pride on their shoulders.

We witness the tension of the competition, and a painful moment, as well as fun and friendship. The concise impressions of the competition are the starting point for a vivid portrait of a new African generation. These observations show not only the complexity of African politics and identity, but also the participants’ confident commitment to the future.