Top Stories
By Priscilla Mafa
Zimbabwe's Midlands State University (MSU) Faculty of Law has made history after winning the 18th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition for the second consecutive year, further cementing the country's reputation for legal and academic excellence on the global stage.
The championship was secured on Friday, 17 July 2026, at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, where MSU students Prince Tinokunda Mafigu and Ruth Fadzai Jokonya, coached by Claudios Makwara, successfully defended the title the university first won in 2025.
The Zimbabwean team defeated Kenya's Strathmore University in the final, repeating the previous year's success and becoming only the fourth African university to win the prestigious international competition. Before MSU's consecutive victories, Strathmore University had claimed back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021.
This year's competition attracted applications from 122 universities worldwide. Following a written assessment, 50 institutions progressed to the virtual preliminary rounds held in May, with only 24 teams advancing to the final oral rounds in Geneva.
MSU's advocates impressed an international panel of judges with their legal analysis, advocacy skills and persuasive oral arguments to retain the coveted world title.
The achievement is being celebrated as a significant milestone for Zimbabwe's higher education sector and a testament to the country's growing influence in legal scholarship and international advocacy.
The victory also aligns with national efforts to strengthen innovation, academic excellence and global competitiveness within Zimbabwe's universities.
With the latest triumph, Midlands State University has firmly established itself among the world's leading institutions in human rights advocacy, while bringing international recognition to Zimbabwe and the African continent.
The championship was secured on Friday, 17 July 2026, at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, where MSU students Prince Tinokunda Mafigu and Ruth Fadzai Jokonya, coached by Claudios Makwara, successfully defended the title the university first won in 2025.
The Zimbabwean team defeated Kenya's Strathmore University in the final, repeating the previous year's success and becoming only the fourth African university to win the prestigious international competition. Before MSU's consecutive victories, Strathmore University had claimed back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021.
This year's competition attracted applications from 122 universities worldwide. Following a written assessment, 50 institutions progressed to the virtual preliminary rounds held in May, with only 24 teams advancing to the final oral rounds in Geneva.
MSU's advocates impressed an international panel of judges with their legal analysis, advocacy skills and persuasive oral arguments to retain the coveted world title.
The achievement is being celebrated as a significant milestone for Zimbabwe's higher education sector and a testament to the country's growing influence in legal scholarship and international advocacy.
The victory also aligns with national efforts to strengthen innovation, academic excellence and global competitiveness within Zimbabwe's universities.
With the latest triumph, Midlands State University has firmly established itself among the world's leading institutions in human rights advocacy, while bringing international recognition to Zimbabwe and the African continent.
Published
July 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM
