Nkumba University will next week officially launch its Law Students’ Moot Court, as the University embarks on strengthening practical legal training and advancing advocacy skills among future lawyers.
The launch, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, will be presided over by Hon. Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, the Principal Judge of the High Court of Uganda.
Organized under the theme “Advancing Legal Advocacy through Moot Court Experience,” the event is expected to draw members of the judiciary, legal practitioners, academia, alumni, and students, in what university officials describe as a significant step toward bridging the gap between legal theory and practice.
Speaking ahead of the launch, the Dean, School of Law, Counsel Witness Nabalende noted that the moot court will serve as a “laboratory for legal skills training,” where students will simulate courtroom proceedings and refine competencies in legal research, writing, and oratory. “This facility will be a training ground where students will be equipped with legal skills to think like lawyers, argue like advocates, and uphold the ethics of the profession,” she added.
The development comes at a time when legal education institutions in Uganda are increasingly under pressure to produce practice-ready graduates capable of meeting the demands of a dynamic justice system.
Historically, moot courts have played a central role in legal training globally, particularly in common law jurisdictions, by offering students a controlled environment to engage in mock trials and appellate arguments. In Uganda, institutions such as Makerere University and the Law Development Centre have long relied on moot competitions to sharpen advocacy skills, but many emerging universities are only now institutionalizing such platforms.
Legal experts say Nkumba University’s move aligns with broader judicial reforms that emphasize efficiency, professionalism, and innovation within the justice sector.
Hon. Justice Abodo, who will officiate the launch, brings with her a wealth of experience spanning prosecution and judicial service. Her career trajectory—from State Attorney to Director of Public Prosecutions between 2020 and 2025, and now Principal Judge, has been widely associated with institutional reform and the promotion of modern prosecutorial practices.
During her tenure at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, she oversaw significant transformations, including the expansion of regional prosecution services, the introduction of a virtual training academy for prosecutors, and the strengthening of anti-corruption frameworks.
Her earlier service as a High Court judge in the Criminal Division between 2018 and 2020 also saw her champion plea bargaining and contribute to the handling of sexual and gender-based violence cases within the judiciary.
“Practical legal training is indispensable in shaping competent advocates and judicial officers,” Said Counsel Adam Kirumira, Nkumba University Lecturer. “Initiatives like moot courts ensure that students are not only knowledgeable in law but are also equipped to apply it effectively.”
At Nkumba University, the moot court is expected to become a permanent fixture within the School of Law, supporting internal training as well as participation in national and international moot competitions.
University administrators believe the initiative will elevate the institution’s profile within Uganda’s legal education landscape while contributing to the cultivation of a new generation of skilled and ethical legal professionals.
As the legal fraternity continues to evolve, stakeholders say such innovations remain critical in aligning academic training with the realities of courtroom practice, an objective Nkumba University now seeks to advance through its newly established moot court.
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