On Saturday, 13th June 2024, all roads led to Tororo Parents Girls School for the eagerly awaited second edition of the UNSA Tororo District Debate, Poetry, and Public Speech Championship. The atmosphere was electric, with students and teachers buzzing with anticipation.
Tororo District UNSA ( Uganda National Students Association ) Coordinator, Mr. Okello Joseph Alewi, kicked off the event with heartfelt enthusiasm. He was thrilled to see a turnout of sixteen schools, though he noted with some disappointment the absence of a few participants from last year. His message was clear: let’s build on our successes, not regress.
How the Championship Unfolded
The day started with a classic case of “African time” – the event, scheduled for 8:00 AM, saw most schools arriving fashionably late. Despite this, the energy remaine” high. Chief Adjudicator for Debate, Mr. Okello Abilla Emmanuel, set the tone with a briefing on expectations. Poetry Chief Adjudicator, Mr. Bwambale Kened, and Public Speech Chief Adjudicator, Ms. Awor Donnah, followed suit.
Teams were assigned names and matched up for the competition. A murmur of nervous excitement rippled through the crowd as schools discovered their opponents. Notably, some students were visibly anxious about facing the formidable defending champions, Tororo Girls School.
The Champions of UNSA Debate
Debate: The defending champions, Tororo Girls School (Team Victoria), dominated once again. The powerhouse trio of Awori Precious Aronda, Akoth Priscilla, and Ainebyona Mary proved unbeatable.
Public Speech: In a surprising turn, newcomer Karungi Mary of Rubongi Army Secondary School (Team Atlas) clinched first place with an outstanding speech. The runner-up was Asianut Lynnate from Tororo Girls School, Team Victoria.
Poetry Recitation: St. Peters College Tororo’s Jjingo Ham emerged victorious in the poetry category, followed closely by Odongo Purity of Kimbilio Schools and Nagayi Diane of Tororo Progressive Academy (TOPA), who tied for second place.
The event was a spectacular showcase of talent and determination. Each participant brought their best, making the championship a memorable and thrilling experience. Tororo Girls School remains the team to beat, but the rising stars from other schools are hot on their heels, promising an exciting future for UNSA competitions.
The attention now shifts to the National UNSA Debate Championships that will take place next month from August 25-31 2024 in Jinja’s illustrious school Holy Cross Lake View S.S . The top five schools in debate qualified for Nationals. However, there is a tendency of most schools backing out from the National Competitions due to financial issues. A vive that has limited students opportunities to shine on the biggest stages of debate in the country.
