By Dia Michelle Bua, Programs Assistant.

 17/03/2026

Five years ago, the Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Competition began as a bold experiment in Uganda, giving young legal minds a chance to come to grips with the intricate and fluid nature of privacy law.  For a long time, privacy in Uganda existed more in theory than in practice. It was acknowledged in constitutional discussions and later strengthened through the enactment of the Data Protection and Privacy Act.

On paper, this was an important step. It signaled a recognition that personal data and digital governance require legal protection and regulation. With technology growing at an unprecedented pace, so does it. Technological innovations expand with data and grow more complicated with every new system that collects, processes and profiles information.

Launched in 2022 by Unwanted Witness, the UW Privacy Moot was created to address a significant gap in legal education around data protection and privacy law.  Moot courts traditionally focus on familiar areas of law, where students confidently argue issues in constitutional law, criminal justice, or human rights. Privacy law, however, has largely remained an unfamiliar and underexplored field for many law students across universities.

The UW Privacy Moot competition was designed as a platform to support the next generation of young lawyers to better understand and respond to privacy challenges. In a world where personal data is increasingly at risk, these skills are becoming more important. Through the competition, participants learn to think critically, argue, advocate effectively, and apply legal principles to the growing legal issues around privacy and data protection.

From its first edition, the moot challenged participants to think differently about the law. Students analysed issues such as the lawful processing of personal data, safeguards against surveillance, enforcement mechanisms, and compliance obligations under the Data Protection and Privacy Act. Bringing together teams from different university law faculties across Uganda to debate these timely issues.

 The first edition of the competition was hosted in 2022 at Makerere University. Teams from law faculties across Uganda examined privacy challenges linked to ride-hailing mobile applications and the unlawful processing of personal data. The theme reflected growing concerns about how digital platforms collect and use personal information.

In 2023, the competition returned to Makerere University with the theme “Balancing Privacy Rights and National Security: Navigating the Impact of Surveillance Laws on Individual Freedoms.” Students explored the tension between the state’s duty to ensure national security and the protection of individual privacy rights.

Since then, the competition has expanded dramatically, reflecting both the gravity of privacy issues and the effectiveness of Unwanted Witness’s partnerships with universities and other institutions. In 2024, the moot became cross-border, with Kenyan law schools joining Ugandan teams in vigorous legal debates centered on the theme “Safeguarding Electoral Integrity: Upholding Voter Privacy in Democratic Processes” The finals were hosted at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya. Marking the first time the moot crossed national borders.

The decision was both strategic and bold. This was not designed as a general human rights competition. It was intentionally focused on privacy and data protection, areas that are more technical, difficult and still evolving. The aim was to create a dedicated platform where students could actively engage with increasing digital rights issues and simulate real privacy disputes.

By 2025, the UW Privacy Moot had reached a new milestone: it had become fully regional, bringing together law schools from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda into one of East Africa’s most significant legal education platforms focused on data protection and privacy. Hosted at the University of Dar es Salaam, this edition focused on “Safeguarding Personal Data in National Digital ID Systems,” a theme that resonates deeply in a region where digital identity systems are increasingly growing with the embrace of digital transformation by many governments.

Over the past 5 years, the UW Privacy Moot has engaged over 40 Universities, trained more than 200 university students, and partnered with Key institutions across East Africa. Its regional expansion shows both the increasing need to advocate for privacy issues and the value of collaboration and partnerships across borders.

The significance of this platform cannot be overstated. As digital transformation continues across the region, legal systems will increasingly confront questions about biometric identification, surveillance oversight, data sharing, and emerging technologies. The UW Privacy Moot has helped build a generation of lawyers equipped to address these challenges, ensuring that the law keeps pace with technological change. By creating a structured space for thorough engagement with privacy law, it has helped strengthen the theoretical and practical foundations necessary for the growth of privacy law in Uganda and beyond.

Five years later, privacy law is no longer an insignificant subject within legal training. It is increasingly recognized as central to many aspects of our lives. The moot did not simply create a competition. It helped build capacity. And in doing so, it has highly contributed to building the future of privacy advocacy in the region among young lawyers at the university level.

Looking ahead, Unwanted Witness aims to continue growing the moot, bringing in more participants from across Africa, deepening partnerships with universities and legal institutions, and exploring emerging themes in privacy law and digital rights. The next editions promise to further strengthen privacy advocacy and its legal capacity in the region.