Two University of Nairobi students emerged winners in the 2024 Firdaous Integrated Services (FIS), International Humanitarian Law Moot competition. Lindsey Asiome and Mercy Kamau walked away as the Best Overall Team; they also took home the Best Memorial award, with Lindsey Asiome crowned the Best Oralist.
It was followed by Cavendish University Uganda, represented by Perl Katondwaki, as the first runner-up. The competition took place at Ahmadu Bello University Moot Court Room, Nigeria, and was judged by Ruth Ifeoluwa Bolaji, legal adviser ICRC Nigerian Delegation; Swaleh Hemed, moot problem author; and Dr. Imam-Muslim Farra’u.
This year, the competion had participation from 17 universities. It was conducted virtually in the preliminary rounds, proceeded with eight teams going into the quarter-finals that were conducted in Nigeria, before the final rounds. FIS International Humanitarian Law Moot is an annual competition bringing students from various African law schools together in a competition where a hypothetical case on International Humanitarian Law is presented before the supposed African Court of Justice and Human Rights.
The moot is a product of Firdaous Integrated Services in collaboration with a faculty of law from one of the universities on the African continent. It offers a platform to undergraduate students across Africa to meaningfully engage in legal discourse and demonstrate their advocacy skills. This year’s event epitomized the high extent of legal acumen extant in African universities and proved that International Humanitarian Law is relevant to learn and apply.