Pan-African Universities Debating Championship (PAUDC) is the biggest intercollegiate debate championship in Africa, established in 2008 by the University of Botswana Debate Masters Association. PAUDC is held in the British Parliamentary debate format (involving four teams of two people in each debate).

The 2021 edition of the PAUDC was the 2nd edition to be held virtually as a result of travel restrictions and other issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual tournament was hosted by the University of Botswana Debate Masters Association in Botswana under the theme, “Channeling the roots of African Debate.”

The current PAUDC champions are Joel Kwodzo Yayra Aboagye and Jedidiah Kwame Henaku-Budu of University of Ghana.

The 2026 Edition and the 18th Edition of this tournament, will be hosted in Abuja, Nigeria at the Veritas University and has been slated for December 2026.

History The OSI African Regional Office and the Youth Initiative partnered with the Pan-African Universities Debating Championship (PAUDC) organizing committee and the University of Botswana to organize the first-ever Pan African Universities Debating Championship in 2008 to provide students from various African universities the opportunity to interrogate issues of African and Global importance.

Format The championship is usually held in eight days. It usually takes place in the first two weeks of December and is being hosted in a different country every year

The PAUDC structure is the British Parliamentary (BP), made up of four teams of two, with two teams supporting a motion, and two teams opposing. Debating teams are independent and compete with each other.

The competition involves nine preliminary rounds, which become "power-paired" as the tournament progresses, matching the strongest-performing teams against each other. The process of scoring and pairing these teams is known as "tabbing". The scoring of teams is done by judges, most of whom are students or former students from the competing institutions, who then return "ballots" with their scores to the adjudication team, led by a Chief Adjudicator who is assisted by one or more deputies.

At the end of the debate, teams are ranked from 1st to 4th.

The team names are as follows. Opening Government (OG), consisting of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister; Opening Opposition (OO), consisting of the Opposition Leader and Deputy Opposition Leader; Closing Government (CG), consisting of the Government Member and Government Whip; and Closing Opposition (CO), consisting of the Opposition Member and the Opposition Whip.

The speaking order is Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Opposition Leader, and so forth.

Notable Controversies

The PAUDC 2023 event unfolded as a manifestation of deceptive advertising, unfulfilled pledges, and forgery. The convener, Abdoul Latif Wali, had assured an engaging 11-day tournament brimming with entertainment and intellectual discourse. However, participants were confronted with the stark reality upon their arrival, discovering substandard accommodations in close proximity to a brewery emanating odors of alcohol and dilapidated restroom facilities. Furthermore, the promised inclusion of breakfast in the tournament registration cost was conspicuously absent.

Compounding the grievances, it was uncovered during the tournament that the Universite de Lome, purportedly the host institution, was entirely unaware of the PAUDC transpiring on their campus. Alarming revelations emerged that Abdoul Latif Wali had fabricated acceptance letters from the university, amplifying the level to which participants had been hoodwinked into a sub-par tournament with an underwhelming tournament experience.

List of tournaments +YearHost cityHosting InstitutionWinning InstitutionFinal MotionBest SpeakerWinning team8-14 December 2008Botswana, GaboroneUniversity of BotswanaWon by the University of the Free State, South Africa12-18 December 2009Botswana, GaboroneUniversity of BotswanaWon by Rhodes University, South AfricaGF: THW abolish all limits on immigration.4-11 December 2010Namibia, WindhoekUniversity of NamibiaWon by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg4-11 December 2011Zimbabwe, BulawayoFalcon CollegeWon by the University of Pretoria, South AfricaTHW have the African Union take over all peacekeeping duties in Africa9-15 December 2012South Africa, PretoriaTshwane University of TechnologyWon by the University of Cape Town, South AfricaMighti Jamie November 29- December 8, 2013Nigeria, CalabarUniversity of CalabarWon by the University of Cape Town, South Africa4-12 December 2014South Africa, PolokwaneUniversity of LimpopoWon by the University of Botswana, BotswanaINFO SLIDE THR Kim Kardashian's recent photoshoot.8-17 December 2015Ghana, AccraUniversity of GhanaWon by University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgMighti Jamie 9-17 December 2016Zimbabwe, GweruMidlands State UniversityWon by University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg7-15 December 2017Cameroon, BueaUniversity of BueaWon by Midlands State University, ZimbabweMinenhle Nzana 8-16 December 2018Tanzania, Dars es SalaamUniversity of Dars es SalaamWon by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)8-16 December 2019Ghana. KumasiKwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyWon by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)Adekunbi Ademola Micheal Ampah and Erasmus Mawuli Segbefia14-20 December 2020VirtualMakerere University and Royal Rhetorics Won by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)This House Believes That judicial systems should more harshly punish people found guilty of committing crimes against members of social groups who experience disproportionately high rates of violence regardless of that offender’s intent (i.e. women, ethnic minorities)lindokuhle Mabaso and Dan LeeKojo Opoku Acheampong and Abena Achiaa Otuo09-12 December 2021 Virtual University of Botswana Won by Rhodes University (South Africa) THW, as the African Union, Grant members of the 6th Region economic and Political RightsSodiq Farhan Franciscus Crouse and Oyisa Katshaza08-15 December 2022Nairobi Strathmore University Won by Veritas University (Nigeria) THBT that the AU should recognise the statehood of SomalilandElisha Owusu AkyawAyafa Tonye, Edwin Ochiedo03-11 December 2023LomeUniversite de LomeWon by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)Champagne socialism refers to a form of socialism where a group of rich/upper class individuals advocate for a fair society where everyone has equal rights and the rich people help the poor. THW promote champagne socialism in AfricaProsper-Michael Ametu and Umuhairu Teni AlhassanProsper-Michael Ametu and Umuhairu Teni Alhassan15-22 December 2024https://www.olympiadebate.org/KampalaKyambogo UniversityWinners, Debate: University of Cape Town, Public Speech: Kyambogo University THR the decline of Ubuntu in African Communities.Debate: Michelle Adika & Alec Becky, PS: Onyait Churchill.Menzimuhle Ncube & Providence Nhongo.1-8 December 2025https://www.olympiadebate.org/Johannesburg University of WitwatersrandWinners: University of GhanaInfo slide: The Waka-Trix (Wakanda Matrix) is a fully immersive digital world presenting a plausible alternate Africa and global system in which colonialism and its direct consequences never occurred. This world is still subject to natural, political, and social imperfection. Upon entry to the Waka-Trix, your physical body dies, and all contact with the real world ceases. You enter the Waka-Trix as a newborn baby, with no memories or continued consciousness from the real world. Motion: TH, as an average 20-year-old African person, would enter the Waka-Trix.Joel Kwodzo Yayra AboagyeGhana C: Joel Kwodzo Yayra Aboagye and Jedidiah Kwame Henaku-BuduDecember 2026https://www.olympiadebate.org/AbujaVeritas UniversityTo be determinedTo be determined.To be determined.To be determined.

See also

World universities debating championship Literary and Debating Society (NUI Galway)

References