MSU students shine at law contest

Amanda Chikari Midlands Reporter
MIDLANDS State University (MSU) has been crowned 2017 Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot competition heads of argument category winners, beating top global schools such as the United States’ Yale Law school.

The MSU team of Brian Tatenda Madziba, a final- year student; and Conrad Melusi Clinton Nyathi, a fourth-year student; participated in the 9th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court competition held at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, last week, becoming the first-ever Zimbabwean law school team to come first in the heads of argument category.

The United States’ Yale Law School team came second.

The Czech Republic’s Charles University was while Malawi’s Chancellor College at the University of Malawi and India Jamia Millia Islamia were in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

The Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) came ninth.

Commenting on the performance, MSU Executive Dean of Law Dr Gift Manyatera said their legal education meets international standards.

“This is a milestone achievement which parallels no other in our law school’s history. It is a victory for legal education in Zimbabwe as a whole. It is a testament to the quality of legal education at MSU which is geared towards meeting national, regional and international exigencies. Quality legal arguments are the bedrock of jurisprudential development in any legal system and we are excited that our students are world champions in this respect,” he said.

The Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition is an annual event presented by the Centre for Human Rights, based at the University of Pretoria, with the support of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, in collaboration with the Regional Office for Southern Africa of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (ROSA).

The competition is open to both undergraduate and master’s degree law students.