Debate

A team will have a minimum of three Speakers and a maximum of 2 reserves (extra speakers).

The tournament encourages us to abide by the N1 rule which demands at least one adjudicator per institution for skill exchange that our teachers may attain the skill.  

An institution will be allowed a maximum of three (3) teams for competency. Participation is capped at 50 teams which will secure a place following the first come first serve rule.  

Debate Motions

Round 1: As part of EAC integration, THW establish a framework requiring East African countries to "freely" share technological research and patents with one another.

Round 2: This House Regrets the rise of subscription-based business models (E.g Spotify, Google One, Netflix) over one-time ownership models in the digital economy.

Round 3: IMPROMPTU

Round 4:

Info slide: Sycophancy in AI is not an intentional design strategy, but rather an unintended behavioral flaw where a model prioritizes user approval over factual accuracy or objective truth. It occurs when an AI agrees with a user's false premises, praises poor ideas, or shifts its stance to match the user's stated opinions.

This House Believes That it is in the interest of AI companies to abandon sycophancy as a design strategy.

Round 5: THBT the influencer economy does more harm than good to consumer culture.

Octo Finals: IMPROMPTU

Quarter Finals:

Info slide: Aesthetic masculinity refers to forms of masculinity that are expressed and socially valued through appearance, curation, style, fitness, grooming, taste, and visual presentation rather than primarily through traditional traits like stoicism, physical dominance, or provision.

This house regrets the rise of aesthetic masculinity.

Semi Finals:

Info slide: “Nationalizing the internet” refers to the process by which a government takes ownership and control over key parts of a nation’s internet infrastructure and services. This model treats the internet as a public utility or essential service, similar to electricity or water, rather than as a privately operated market.

This House Would nationalize the internet.

Grand Finals: This House Would make the establishment of a common East African education system a core objective of the East African Community integration. 

Primary Schools Debate Motions

1. Round 1: THBT schools should teach basic coding from primary level.
2. Round 2: THBT artificial intelligence does more good than harm.
3. Round 3: IMPROMPTU
4. Round 4: THBT social media influencers are poor role models for children.
5. Quarter Finals: THBT governments should invest more in innovation competitions for children than in sports competitions.
6. Semi Finals: THBT protecting the environment is a greater responsibility than pursuing economic development.
7. Grand Finals: THBT the leaders of tomorrow should be chosen based on character rather than academic performance.

Note: “THBT” stands for This House Believes That.

Public Speaking

This is an individual contest where each participant will represent their institution. Students have the option to express themselves in either English, Kiswahili, or French.” (in only this category)

An institution can send to a maximum of 10 individuals in this category.  One participating in this category may still be able to participate in other categories as they will be held at different timing.Topics will be released by 25^th July 2026 for prior preparations except impromptu motions that will be released 30 minutes before the round.

Public Speaking Topics.

PRELIMINARIES (3 MINUTES).

Round 1: OWN COMPOSITION: Write and deliver an original speech on a topic of your choice, provided it aligns with the EASDC 2026 theme: “Innovating Solutions: Creativity, Technology & Resilience.”

Round 2: IMPROMPTU

Round 3: INFORMATIVE SPEECH

Topic: “Road to 2050: Challenges that East Africa must overcome.”

Round 4: IMPROMPTU (ON TECHNOLOGY)

Round 5: NARRATIVE

Topic: “The Stranger Who Built My Community.”

Background: Inspired by xenophobic actions in South Africa.

Speech Direction: Relating to East Africa, imagine discovering that the person your community once called a “foreigner” became the reason your community prospered.

OCTOFINALS: IMPERSONATION OF A PUBLIC FIGURE (3–4 MINUTES)

Assume the identity of a well-known African public figure and deliver a speech on one of the following topics:

You are Julius Nyerere, having returned to life, visiting Tanzania in 2026. Deliver a speech to the nation.

1. Read aloud a letter that you (Jomo Kenyatta) and Jaramogi wrote to Kenyans.
2. If Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) were to give one last speech instead of a song.
3. Recreate one of the most iconic speeches delivered by one of the following African public figures. Contestants should faithfully capture the speaker’s style, tone, conviction, and delivery while preserving the original message and its historical context.
4. Benjamin William Mkapa – Tanzania Anita Annet – Uganda
5. Wangari Maathai – Kenya

QUARTERFINALS: CREATIVE SPEECH (3–4 MINUTES)

Choose one of the following topics:

1. If Your Search History Became Your Biography.

Imagine your online searches become the official story of your life.

2. If East Africa Had a Group Chat.

Imagine Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as members of one lively WhatsApp group discussing shared challenges and celebrating each other's successes.

3.Welcome to the Republic of Possibility.

Imagine founding a fictional country where the national currency is ideas, failure is celebrated as a lesson, and every citizen must solve one community problem each year.

SEMIFINALS: MONOLOGUE SPEECH (4–5 MINUTES)

Choose one of the following topics:

1.A Letter to My Future Self.

Character: Your future self in the year 2050. Scenario: While sorting through old belongings, you discover a letter you wrote to yourself in 2026. As you read it, reflect on the dreams you pursued, the promises you kept or broke, the lessons life has taught you, and the message you would now send back to your younger self.

2.I Switched Myself Off.

Character: An Artificial Intelligence system.

Reflect on serving humanity and explain why you chose to disconnect yourself forever.

GRAND FINALE (TO BE ANNOUNCED) 

Primary Schools Public Speaking Topics

ROUND 1: THEMATIC

TOPIC: “Young Minds, Big Solutions.”

Explore how young people can use creativity, technology, or new ideas to solve problems and make their schools or communities better.

ROUND 2: IMPROMPTU

ROUND 3: MONOLOGUE SPEECH

TOPIC: “Before you switch me off.....”

Direction: Imagine you're a robot that has spent years helping children learn, create, communicate and solve problems. One day you are told that you are about to be switched off forever.

Deliver a monologue expressing your thoughts, feelings and memories as you make your final appeal. Explain what we have learned from humans and why you believe technology should help people rather than replacing them.

ROUND 4: IMPROMPTU

QUARTERFINALS: SPECIAL OCCASION SPEECH

Direction: Deliver an acceptance speech after receiving an Award for the invention you created to solve a problem in your community.

In your speech explain the problem you set out to solve, your invention, the challenges you faced, and why you refused to give up.

SEMIFINALS: CREATIVE SPEECH

Choose among the two:

1.“ChatGPT Needs a Holiday”

Imagine that ChatGPT has been helping you with your questions, ideas, and schoolwork for a long time. One day, it says, “I need a break!” What happens next? What would you do without its help?

2. “Broken Doesn't Mean Useless”

Imagine that something important breaks just when you need it most. Instead of throwing it away, think creatively about how you could repair it, reuse it, or give it a new purpose.



FINAL: VISIONARY SPEECH

TOPIC: “The East Africa I Want to Build”

Direction: Imagine you are a young leader in East Africa in the year 2050. Deliver a speech explaining what you want East Africa to look like and how young people can help build that future. Talk about the challenges facing our communities today and how technology, innovation, creativity, and resilience can help create a better East Africa. 

Quiz Challenge

Participants in this intellectual category will be expected to attempt to answer questions correctly about a variety of subjects. 

A team will have a minimum of three Speakers and a maximum of 2 reserves (extra speakers)

Participation is capped at 20 teams which will secure a place following the first come first serve rule.  

Quiz Challenge Rubric

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Each quiz team shall consist of THREE members only (Quiz Whizzes). 2. The competition will include Preliminary Rounds (3 Matches) and Break

Rounds (Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and Grand Finale).

3. Preliminary rounds will be based on point accumulation, while Break

Rounds will follow a knockout format.

4. A Controlled Swiss-Style Pairing System will be used during the preliminary

rounds to determine pairings.

5. The top 8 teams after preliminaries will advance to the Quarter Finals.

6. Quarter Finals will consist of four matches drawn using a power-protection

seeding system.

7. Semi Finals will feature four teams, and the two winners will proceed to

the Grand Finale.

8. Each team must select ONE member to participate in the Spelling Bee

during the Grand Finale.

9. The official language of the quiz will be English; however, other official East

African languages may occasionally be used where necessary.

10. Specific rules for each round may be introduced and communicated during

briefing sessions.

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

MATCH 1

• Round 1: Categories
• Round 2: Written Puzzle Questions

MATCH 2

• Round 1: Brain Maze Questions
• Round 2: East African Knowledge

MATCH 3

• Round 1: Categories
• Round 2: Conquer the Clue Questions

BREAK ROUNDS

QUARTER FINALS

• Round 1: Category Selection
• Round 2: Pictorial Round
• Round 3: Categories (Death Wish Zone) • Round 4: Quickfire Questions

SEMI FINALS

• Round 1: Mental Arithmetic • Round 2: Think, Don't Know • Round 3: Hot Seat
• Round 4: Visual Intelligence

GRAND FINALE

• Round 1: Fork in the Road
• Round 2: Spelling Bee
• Round 3: Memory Challenge
• Round 4: Multimedia & Entertainment
• Round 5: Echo Effect

FORK IN THE ROAD CATEGORIES

• General Knowledge

• Pop Culture

• East African Knowledge • Brain Storms

COMMON QUIZ CATEGORIES

CATEGORY A

General Knowledge Science

Arts

Mathematics

ICT & Technology Logical Reasoning

CATEGORY B

Sports

Pop Culture & Entertainment Literature

Current Affairs

East African Knowledge Movies & Cinema 

Registration Fees

The registration fees are capped at 119 US $ per delegate per activity.   

There will be a 70% discount on an extra activity. For students that will participate in more than one activity. (E.g. If a participant (individual) is to register for both Debate and Public Speaking or Quiz Challenge and Poetry the registration fee will be 150 US $). Institutions are encouraged to bring teams for all activities but it’s mandatory that a school registers for at least one activity.   

The cost will cater for; 

a)    Three meals per day for the duration of the tournament. (4 Days) 

b)    Accommodation at St. Jude Secondary School Arusha campus.  

c)    Transport and entrance Fee to Tarangire National Park on the excursion day.

d)    Transport to and fro the East African Community Headquarters on the Grand finals.

e)    Other Tournament running costs.