Kenyan law students will advance to the global stage of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition after emerging among the top performers in national rounds that drew leading universities into one of the world’s most competitive legal simulations.
- •A five-member team from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) finished runners-up to University of Nairobi (UoN) in Kenya’s national rounds held at the MKU Parklands Law Campus.
- •They included Dennis Kaboro, Sewe James Phillip Goroh, Clarice Neema Naseka, Tatiana Bett Cherono and Mike Marc Kipchirchir, all third-year students at JKUAT.
- •This was the first time JKUAT law students were participating in the competition, which secured them qualification for the international finals scheduled for 28th to 4th April 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Washington in Washington D.C.
“The Jessup trophy is every law student's dream. But the real victory was who I became along the way. This competition didn't just test what I knew—it changed how I think, how I work, and who I am,” said Dennis Kaboro.
The students also posted strong individual and written advocacy results, placing them second for best memorial submissions and ranking multiple oralists among the competition’s top performers. Sewe James Phillip Goroh placed second among oralists, followed by Dennis Kaboro in fourth place, Clarice Neema Naseka in sixth place and Mike Marc Kipchirchir in fourteenth place.
“Our performance was a result of collective hard work, tenacity and endurance which all culminated in success,” said James Phillip Sewe Goroh.
Organized by the International Law Students Association, the Jessup competition draws about 700 law schools across more than 100 countries, making it the largest moot court contest worldwide. The contest simulates disputes between sovereign states before the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial body of the United Nations.
“How it began as a mere application gradually transformed into a rigorous journey, being declared as the finalists is an honour, but the true victory is how this experience has strengthened my resolve and deepened my understanding of what it means to pursue justice,” said Tatiana Bett Cherono.
This year’s Jessup competition problem examines state intervention rights in international litigation, indigenous claims over rare earth minerals, and the legal immunity of state-owned enterprises; issues that mirror real geopolitical and commercial tensions.
The qualification adds another Kenyan presence to the global legal arena, as universities from Kenya continue expanding participation in international advocacy competitions long dominated by institutions from the U.S., Europe and Asia.
