More Than a Competition: The Journey of Uganda’s IHL Moot Court Winners

Luwaga John Eliane, Lubogo Michelle and Sandra Nakiganda law students at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) represented Uganda in the African International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition in Kenya upon their success in nationals.

“This year’s Competition has been one of the most transformative academic and professional experiences of our legal journey as students of law”, Sandra mentioned during their visit to the ICRC Uganda Delegation Offices in November 2025.

During the competitions, students are asked to negotiate humanitarian access with an armed group, seek permission to visit detainees, or justify decisions as an operational head of delegation. This task requires them not only to argue the law but to apply it with humanity, diplomacy, and practical reasoning. 

Despite having no prior knowledge or experience in IHL, the team relied on the library, online resources and guidance from their coach, as well as spending many sleepless nights immersed in IHL textbooks, to prepare. “The books became our inseparable companions,” recalls Eliane. “Commitment to win led us to stay on campus, covering our own accommodation and living expenses during holidays, to perfect their memorials and oral pleadings,” Eliane continued.