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Critical Discourse Analysis of Roch Kaboré’s 2020 Electoral Campaign rally Discourses in Burkina Faso

Thomas Kientega Lallé Michaël Zouba M. Kambou

Sep 2026 · Akofena revue scientifique des Sciences du Langage Lettres Langues & de la Communication · 0 citations · 6 references

Abstract

Abstract: This paper examines the 2020 electoral campaign discourses delivered by the MPP candidate of the Mouvement le Peuple et Progrès (MPP), Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (RMCK). It attempts to decipher the discursive moves used by the party’s leaders to subtly influence the voters’ choices towards their interests. Employing Van Dijk (2006) Approach and a mixed-method research design, this critical discourse analysis investigates the social, cognitive, and discursive dimensions of the manipulative moves encoded in three (3) rally speeches delivered by RMCK. The findings reveal that RMCK’s social environment associated with his use of verbal and non-verbal means of manipulation set the tone for power abuse and cognitive mind control over the audiences. This discursive strategy resulted in the outgoing candidate’s re-election. Keywords: Political Discourse, Election, Manipulation, Cognitive Mind Control

DOI Semantic Scholar

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