The 17th Africa Regional Round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition concluded this week with Kenya’s Strathmore University crowned overall winners following two days of intense simulated court proceedings.

The competition brought together university law students from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe to argue complex hypothetical disputes in international space law before a simulated International Court of Justice.

South Africa’s University of Pretoria was awarded 1st Runner-Up, whilst Augustine Mudzodza from Zimbabwe’s Midlands State University received the Best Oralist Award. Kabarak University of Kenya was awarded the Best Memorial Award.

Focus on global space economy

The 2026 edition focused on strengthening Africa’s legal, policy, regulatory, scientific, and institutional capacity within the global space economy.

The event was hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in partnership with the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) and industry stakeholders, including Dragonfly Aerospace Systems, NewSpace Systems, Petrawell, and Newcraft.

It took place at the Casa Toscana Convention Centre in Pretoria from 25 – 26 May under the theme: Empowering Africa’s Future in Space Governance for Sustainable Space Activities.

Presiding over the final round, the President of the Court of Appeal in Kenya, Honourable Justice Daniel Kiio Musinga, praised the high standard of advocacy and legal reasoning displayed throughout the competition.

“I am persuaded that the future of African international lawyering is in very good hands. It is not elsewhere, it is right in this room,” Musinga said.

He further emphasised the importance of Africa asserting its voice within global governance systems.

“For most of its history, that architecture has been built by hands other than ours. The work of this generation is to convert our seats at the table from courtesy into authorship,” he said.

Representing Africa

Addressing the finalists, Musinga said the students represented not only their institutions, but the broader African continent.

“You do not represent only your institutions tonight; you represent five African nations, and through them a continent,” he added.

The winning team will now represent Africa at the global finals later this year in Türkiye during the International Astronautical Congress.

Speaking after the announcement, Megan Wanjiru Nsuguna from Strathmore University described the competition as both demanding and rewarding following months of preparation and rigorous training.

“The preparations for this started in December last year. It has been quite crazy, with lots of sleepless nights, but today was a validation that your work pays at the end of the day. Nothing goes unnoticed,” Nsuguna said.

She said competing against talented students from across the continent was one of the highlights of the competition.

“It became an exchange of ideas and perspectives, which was very interesting,” she said.

Nsuguna, who has developed a growing interest in air and space law, also encouraged young people aspiring to pursue careers in law to remain determined.

“Do it scared, do it when you do not know anything, just do it. If you put your mind into something, do it, and if you are doing it, be the best at it,” she said.

Throughout the two-day competition, students demonstrated advanced legal reasoning, advocacy, diplomacy, and interpretation of international law, including Space Treaty law, while arguing hypothetical disputes involving outer space governance and regulation.

Strengthening African participation in space governance

The competition forms part of broader efforts by the dtic and Sansa to strengthen and capacitate Africa’s participation in international space governance processes and develop future African legal experts, policymakers, negotiators, and regulators within the global space sector.

Participating students will also attend the African Space Policy and Law Conference, hosted by University of Pretoria and McGill University supported by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the dtic and Sansa from 28–29 May 2026, where international and continental policymakers, academics, regulators, and industry leaders will deliberate on developments in international space governance and sustainable industrial development and Africa’s strategic role within the global space economy.

The continued success and growth of the Africa Regional Round reflects the continent’s increasing commitment to strengthening human capital, legal scholarship, institutional capacity, and international cooperation within the field of outer space governance and sustainable development.

This artcile was first published on bizcommunity South Africa