Judiciary Urges Law Students to Uphold Proper Court Language as CEHURD Opens 13th Annual Moot Competition

By Philip Onyango

The Judiciary has challenged law students to mind their language in court and focus on reasoning rather than using street language.

The call was made by Justice Geoffrey Wilfred Kiryabwire of the Court of Appeal of Uganda while addressing students at the 13th Annual National Inter-University Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition 2026, organized by the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

Justice Kiryabwire emphasized that effective advocacy demands clarity, decorum and logical reasoning, which are essential for upholding the dignity of the court.

This year’s competition is being held under the theme, “Reproductive and Gender Justice in Uganda: Navigating Constitutional Rights, Public Interest and Social Values.” It provides a platform for students to interrogate legal, policy and structural barriers to accessing reproductive health information and services, especially for young people, rural women and adolescents.

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Officially opening the competition, CEHURD Executive Director Fatia Kiyange welcomed participants and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to nurturing a new generation of human rights lawyers.

Kiyange noted that CEHURD has nurtured the annual moot since 2014 as a platform to interest law students in courtroom advocacy, court decorum and the practical aspects of litigating the right to health.

CEHURD, an indigenous NGO founded in December 2009 to pioneer the justiciability of the right to health in Uganda and East Africa, uses litigation, advocacy, research and social movement building to address health rights violations affecting women, girls and other vulnerable communities.

She said the moot mirrors CEHURD’s own litigation journey which began in 2011 with the landmark Constitutional Petition No. 16 of 2011 on maternal health. She noted that implementation of judgments from such cases contributed to a 44% reduction in maternal mortality as per the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, through improved maternal and perinatal death surveillance and increased budget allocation for maternal health.

Kiyange observed that while health, law and policy is often offered as an optional course in law schools, students who have taken it have gone on to lead impactful litigation. The moot therefore inculcates a culture of advancing the right to health among all students.

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A total of 18 universities expressed interest, with 17 selected to participate. These include Makerere University, Gulu University, Uganda Christian University Mukono, Kampala International University, Nkumba University, International University of East Africa, Uganda Technology and Management University, Bishop Stuart University, Kabale University, King Ceasor University, Metropolitan International University (Kampala and Mbarara campuses), Uganda Pentecostal University (Fort Portal and Kampala campuses), and Islamic University in Uganda (Kampala, Females and Main campuses).

The competition is presided over by eminent Justices including Hon. Retired Justice Martin Stephen Egonda-Ntende, Hon. Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, Hon. Justice Geoffrey Wilfred Kiryabwire, Hon. Justice Eva K. Luswata and Hon. Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala.

CEHURD commended university leadership, patrons and moot coordinators for their support and announced internship opportunities for top performers to further build their capacity in social justice in health.