Kampala, UGANDA – The University Debate Nationals Tournament 2022 was a 5-day tournament for students from universities from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania set to run from 25th to 29th November, 2022. This annual tournament was organized by Open Space Center in partnership with the Uganda National NGO Forum, USAID, National Endowment for Democracy, and Crossing Borders. It took place at the Eureka Place Hotel, Ntinda-Kampala.
For context, this is the biggest annual debate gathering that brings together over 200 students from universities from across East Africa to take part in engaging thought-provoking discussions on topical issues in their countries. The theme this year read “Uganda at 60: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions.”
This year proved quite intense, as the university teams (named after prominent African figures) battled it out for the number one spot of Overall Winner of the Debate Tournament. History surely repeated itself as the team from Makerere University Business School (MUBS) represented by Luswata Simon and Niringiye Sam emerged the deafening champions, just as they did the year before. Gulu University represented by Amanya Belindah and Opio Fred took the award for 1st RunnersUp of the tournament. This year’s final debate motion was: “THBT the crackdown on civil spaces in Uganda is justified”
Other awards that accompanied this enormous award included; the Personality Award (an award given to the individual selected by the participants, who throughout the course of the tournament, exhibited selflessness) which this year was scooped by Sabrina Atwiine from Islamic University In Uganda, Female Campus; the James Ogoola Award (an award given to the most outstanding speaker with the highest cumulative points under the British Parliamentary Debate Track at the debate tournament) which was scooped by Gene from Gulu University; and finally, the Jacob Oulanyah Award (an award given to the winner of the Public Speaking Track for the first time this year since its inception in 2019, and in celebration of the distinguished life of the Late Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah) which was given to Ricky Mugume from Mbarara University of Science & Technology.
At the Grand Finale, the tournament was graced with the presence of some VIPs including; Don Wanyama, the Chief Executive Officer, Vision Group; Monica Azimi, the Director of the USAID democracy, rights, and governance; Chris Nkwatsibwe, the Executive Director of the Uganda National NGO Forum; and Hon. Isaac Ssejooba, MP representative of Bukoto Midwest, Lwengo district to mention but a few.
Don Wanyana-CEO Vision Group noted that debate creates empathy. “You are able to know other peoples’ chains of thought to understand the reason for another individual’s actions and what motivates their views,” he said
Team Leader of Open Space Center, Wakibu Bunnya, also said the most important thing one will get from the competition is the power of networking. “Open Space also organizes university debate nationals such that the youth are able to engage with each other to create friendships and networks,” Bunnya added.
Discussing the possibility of sustaining and boosting such debates, Hon. Ssejooba Isaac pointed out the need to invest more in such debates so as to empower young people.
Day 4 of the tournament featured a youth dialogue on governance and sustainable development. Discussed were topics on how young people can identify and reach opportunities via resources like the internet, how young people can work in tandem with their youth leaders to achieve the sustainable development goals, and overall how young people should put themselves with the aim of both personal and nation-wide development.
On a lighter note, all the days of the tournament featured social nights in the evenings, where the participants got to network and interact with each other after a sumptuous meal, plus showcasing their own talents..
