By Joshua Wambugu

USIU-Africa hosted the Ikenga Opens Tournament last weekend. Considered one of the most competitive university tournaments in the Kenyan circuit, we had participants from a plethora of institutions from all around the country.

The competition followed the British Parliamentary format, which requires participants to debate against 3 other teams, there were five preliminary debate rounds, all of which were impromptu allowing for maximum competition before teams reached the first break to the semifinals. After which, the top 2 teams from each semifinal round progresses onto the final, with the team winning the finals being crowned the overall winner of the tournament.

A total of 20 teams, 18 judges and 5 universities were represented at the tournament. USIU-Africa had 6 teams made up of Hafsa Abshir and Hasritha Sunnam, Wanjiru Karugu and Joshua Wambugu, Angel Musomba and Maria Marenga, Amy Njenga and Francis Chege, Pearl Nganga and Billy Kinyanjui and Samuel Lyomoki and Trevor Mwembesa. SADS also had six adjudicators in the event, namely Victor Mwendwa, Lauryn Ojore, Kashaka Jeremiah, Elsie Sirengo, Louis Gitu and Kagia Samuel.

USIU-Africa emerged as the tournament’s winner, with Wanjiru Karugu and Joshua Wambugu taking first place, followed closely by Strathmore University. Wanjiru and Joshua were also named as the fourth and third best speakers at the tournament, with Elsie Sirengo and Louis Gitu voted as the best judges.

This was the first local university debate tournament in over 4 months, therefore we were able to cement Ikenga, and by extension SADS, as a mainstay of the Kenyan debate circuit. We were able to attract 40 debaters, and 52 overall participants to the event, where they were able to engage with each other, share ideas, and foster stronger interpersonal bonds through the art of debate.