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26 views

Concept Note

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michaelodera370
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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KENYA UNIVERSITIES

DEBATE
CHAMPIONSHIP

Concept note
ABOUT KUDC 2023
The Kenya Universities Debate Championship (KUDC) is an annual event that
brings together universities, colleges and tertiary institutions from across the
country to participate in a high-level debate competition. This event provides
a platform for young debaters to showcase their intellectual abilities and
critical thinking skills, as well as to sharpen their public speaking skills to
foster a culture of free speech and healthy discourse.
The 2023 edition is set to be the first of many national tournaments that
bring together and better positions the Kenyan circuit to compete regionally
and even globally.

WHY KUDC ?
Any vision of a better Africa includes the narrative of inclusive and
sustainable leadership and governance. Generational change in leadership
and governance is a steady learning process that depends on life-long
acquisition of skills, resources, and capacities. Harnessing the demographic
dividend and expanding opportunities for young people- to the benefit of all
Kenyans - requires innovative, multi sectoral approaches (such as KUDC)
that holistically uplift and empower the youth, ultimately setting participants
on a path towards a prosperous future.

For us at KUDC governance is an everyday concern because it is at the core


of resource allocation and distribution with tremendous implications for
social and political stability. Kenyan youth need to be alert to some of these
governance chchallenges in order to be ready to stand up to them in a post-
Covid world to mobilize for new ways of doing things.

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The participation and the voice of the youth is important in issues like
• Gender parity
• Social justice and inequality
• Financial and sustainable development
• Innovation
• Geopolitics
• Inclusive Design
• Climate Change and among other thematic areas.

The theme of this year’s edition therefore is “Justice, Leadership, and


Governance in the Face of Climate Change.

The Kenya Universities Debate Championship prepares this discourse to ask


difficult questions and engage youths in this intellectual framework of
answering and coming up with solutions that strike a balance in the existence
of humanity through leadership and governance. This competition aims to
enhance the critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills of the
youth, who arguably form the leadership cohort of present and future
generations. Furthermore, it seeks to make them bold in coming up with
policies of current affairs that will ascertain the future of various economies.

Additionally, the platform seeks to create an environment of mentorship for


world leaders from Kenya. This will be potentially achieved by promoting
critical and analytical thinking; innovation and ideation; active learning and
complex problem solving; creativity and originality; and ideation -skills that
the World Economic Forum quotes will be among the top 10 skills of 2025- by
promoting tolerance of differing and diverse views in a welcoming
atmosphere.

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OBJECTIVES OF KUDC 2023

To promote cultural integration among university students by creating


opportunities for students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
to interact and learn from each other.
To encourage students to engage with topical issues affecting Kenya and
the world at large

To promote tolerance and constructive discourse as a means of


problem solving among Kenyan Youth. This because students may
sometimes debate a side of the topic that they may not personally
agree with, thus understanding different perspectives.

To foster critical thinking and analytical skills among university students


by having students come up with original ideas and have them
interrogated before a panel of judges.
To have a big and diverse representation from various institutions
countrywide that allows students to grow the spirit of nationalism.
To be an annual event that develops teamwork and collaboration skills
among students.
To provide an opportunity for students to network and interact with
peers from different universities.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Diversity: With a strong outreach to all University debate Unions across


Kenya, we shall create a platform that brings together individuals from
diverse backgrounds to engage in meaningful conversations geared
towards policy change in the country.

Propose practical solutions to societal problems with their probable


mitigation measures.

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Unity: This championship shall bring together debate unions from
various universities across the country to foster a sense of unity and
shared purpose. By working ttogether towards a common goal, we will
create a stronger and more cohesive community of debaters.

Inter-University Debate Union partnerships: Enhancement of cross county


knowledge sharing and networks that will form a foundation for uplifting
infant and young debate unions in the Kenyan circuit.

Networking: KUDC shall be a platform for people from different parts of


the country sharing experiences and lifestyles through debate and
speech, sparking discussions that broaden participants’ knowledge of
Kenya.

DEBATE FORMAT

KUDC uses the British Parliamentary format of debate which is the most
widely used debate format by colleges and universities across the world.
The format is modelled after a Parliamentary debate where speakers have
specific roles depending on what position they are speaking. For a more
detailed outline of the format see the chart below.

Opening Government (OG) Opening Opposition (OO)


Prime Minister & Deputy Leader of Opposition & Deputy
Prime Minister Leader of Opposition

Closing Government (CG) Closing Opposition (CO)


Member of Government & Member of Opposition &
Government Whip Opposition Whip

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STRUCTURE
Registered teams will participate in seven preliminary rounds, with the best
teams accruing higher cumulative points advancing to Quarter Finals, then
Semi-Finals, and finally to the Grand Finals. The competition will be judged
by a panel of experienced judges drawn from various institutions and
organizations, presided over by a Chief Adjudicator (CA) and two Deputy
Chief Adjudicators (DCAs). The CA and DCAs will be nominated from among
the best-performing adjudicators in the country, with a focus on diversity
and equality.
The tournament is scheduled to take 4 days in which participants will be
properly engaged.
Below is the schedule for the tournament:

Arrival & Registration


Opening Ceremony
14th
Day 1 speaker & judge briefing
September
Round 1
Meet & greet

15th Preliminary rounds 2, 3 & 4


Day 2
September Game night

16th Preliminary rounds 5, 6 & 7


Day 3
September Break Night

Quarterfinals, semifinals & Grand


17th
Day 4 Finals
September
AwardsGala

Departures

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CONTACTS

For inquiries or further information, reach out to the organising committee via

our email [email protected] . You can also reach us on our social media at
kenyaunisdebate across all platforms.

You can also reach us directly at :

Wycliffe Otieno
Convener, KUDC 2023
+254 796057263

Chrispine Momanyi
Communications Director, KUDC 2023
+254 705751006

Dr. Martin Ogola


Patron
Kenyatta University Debate Society
[email protected]

KUDC 2023: Amplifying the Youthful Voice of Change

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