Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
ANOTHER milestone has been recorded for University of Zimbabwe law students and the Faculty of Law after the university’s CECA Moot team was crowned champions of the inaugural 2026 Green Law Global Institute (GLGI) International Climate Justice Moot Court Competition.
The achievement has now been followed by plans for an official trophy presentation and champions’ recognition ceremony at the University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, with the GLGI delegation expected in Zimbabwe from October 12.
In a letter to the University, GLGI founder, president and chief executive officer Mr Brian Awuonda described the victory as a “remarkable” achievement and congratulated the students, Faculty of Law and the wider university community.
“The unanimous decision of the Grand Final Bench in favour of Team UZ was a fitting recognition of the quality of advocacy and preparation demonstrated by your students throughout the Competition,” Mr Awuonda said.
The UZ team, represented by Lauren Clare Shamiso Mkahanana and Kudakwashe Masango, secured the championship after progressing through several stages of the competition before defeating a Catholic University of Kenya team in the grand finale.
The UZ Moot Society said the decisive final was adjudicated by a five-member bench and ended in a unanimous 5–0 decision in favour of the Zimbabwean team.
The moot centred on emerging questions in international climate and environmental law, including the interpretation and application of the 2025 Advisory Opinion on Climate Change.
The victory adds to a growing run of international advocacy achievements by UZ law students. The Faculty has also represented Zimbabwe at international competitions including the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, where the 2026 team reached the Round of 32 and was reported as the only African team to progress that far.
According to Mr Awuonda, GLGI’s delegation will use its October visit to formally recognise the champions.
“We would be very happy to work with the School of Law and the University to make the occasion a simple but meaningful celebration of the team’s achievement,” he said.
GLGI judges and members of its International Academic Advisory Board will not be able to travel to Zimbabwe, but Mr Awuonda said they would participate virtually if the university facilitates a hybrid ceremony.
The organisation is also engaging Professors Edson Gandiwa and Patience Gandiwa, with an invitation extended to them to attend the celebration and, subject to their availability, present the Rosemary Ayugi Memorial Award to Team UZ.
The GLGI triumph comes as the Faculty of Law continues to expand its presence in international legal advocacy.
Earlier this month, UZ received an invitation to participate in the 10th edition of The Hague Inter-University Law Debate Tournament (THIULDT) in 2027.
The invitation was extended by the Corax Foundation, based in The Hague, Netherlands, following UZ’s recent performances in national and international legal competitions. The university is expected to become the first Zimbabwean institution to participate in the tournament.
Corax Foundation co-director Mr Aurélien Lorange said UZ’s record in legal education, international mooting and advocacy made it an “outstanding candidate” for the milestone edition of the tournament.
The Hague invitation follows UZ’s emergence as national champion at the 2026 Zimbabwe National International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition in August. The university defeated Midlands State University in the final and secured the right to represent Zimbabwe internationally.
Unlike conventional moot competitions, the Hague tournament focuses on spontaneous argument, rebuttal and defending competing positions on contemporary legal and policy questions. The 2026 edition reportedly attracted 32 universities from around the world.
For the Faculty of Law, the sequence of achievements places its students increasingly on international platforms spanning climate justice, environmental governance, humanitarian law, international arbitration and public international law.
Mr Awuonda said GLGI hoped the latest victory would also open the door to a broader institutional relationship with UZ.
“We also hope that this victory marks the beginning of a much deeper institutional relationship between UZ School of Law and the Green Law Global Institute,” he said, citing possible collaboration in “environmental legal education, research, climate justice and broader African environmental governance initiatives.”
The proposed October ceremony will, therefore, not only mark UZ’s latest moot court triumph, but could also provide the setting for discussions on extending the university’s engagement with GLGI beyond competitive advocacy into environmental legal education and research.
