BOLESWA Intervarsity Debate Tournament

Winners of the first BOLESWA intervarsity Debate Championships held in Mbabane, Swaziland in February of 2007


The annual intervarsity games (BOLESWA) between the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland will be held on the 22nd February 2008 at the university of Botswana. The games between the three sister universities will last for 8 days.

The games command a huge following- around 4000 people from different sporting codes and some as tourists are expected to grace this year’s intervarsity games. Debating in BP was introduced as a new code when the games were held in Mbabane Swaziland in February 2007.

This year will see the second BP debating championship between the three countries. So far about 56 debaters and 26 adjudicators have registered to participate in the tournament and more teams are expected to show interest. This is the second known debating championship in the African continent held in BP after the South African Debating Championships.

The University of Botswana has decided to keep its worlds bid organizing committee to run the event. BOLESWA games are held on a rotational basis between the University of Botswana, National University of Lesotho and National University of Swaziland. Of the 53 countries in the African continent only 6 countries- Zambia, Lesotho Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa and Botswana have been the only African participants at worlds with South Africa and Botswana attending regularly and South Africa dominating the region.

It is hoped that events like the BOLESWA intervarsity debates will help close this gap and spread debate in the African continent.

Justice Motlhabani