TITLE PAGE LEXICO-PRAGMATIC INTERPRETATION OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN THE 2013 KENYAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SPEECHES IN TARAKWA, UASIN GISHU, KENYA BY NORAH NYARANGI MOSE A THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN LINGUISTICS DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES MASENO UNIVERSITY ©2018 i DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and it has not been presented for the award of a degree in any other university. No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means of mechanical, electronic or otherwise without prior permission of the author or Maseno University on behalf of the author. NORAH NYARANGI MOSE SIGN………………… DATE ……………… PHD/FA/00093/2014 This thesis has been presented for examination with our approval as university supervisors. 1. DR. BENSON OJWANG’ SIGN………………… DATE……………… DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS MASENO UNIVERSITY 2. DR. LILIAN MAGONYA SIGN…………………. DATE……………… DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS MASENO UNIVERSITY ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my late father, Zephaniah Mose Sibwoga and my late siblings, Kennedy Ositu and Elizabeth Kemuma. Your common virtues of love, discipline, hardwork and humility inspired me. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of this doctoral thesis was made possible through the direct or indirect contributions of a number of people to whom I express my sincerest gratitude. I am greatly indebted to my supervisors, Dr. Benson Ojwang’ and Dr. Lilian Magonya, for insightful suggestions at all stages of the research; invaluable support and advice that at times went beyond their duties. God bless you. My gratitude also goes to the Linguistics department faculty whose constructive criticism shaped my thesis during the proposal stage. I am also grateful to Benson Ibrahim, my husband, who tirelessly ensured I printed my drafts and provided all travel and subsistence needs during the study; my mother Mary Mose, siblings Florence Kerubo, Margaret Nyabwari, Patrick Obwocha, Daniel Momanyi, Hellen Nyaboke, Janet Nyamusi and Risper Kerubo for their earnest prayers, support and encouragement to soldier on. I also thank my children, Glenn Joshua and Violet Kemunto, for their love, encouragement and for bearing with me during the long hours I immersed myself in studies. I am eternally grateful to God for the renewed vigour the arrival of my little angel, Atarah Maisy, brought to my study midstream. I am grateful to the late Daniel Karoki, former principal of Narok Boys High School (NABO), for encouraging me to progress academically and professionally. In the same breath, I am thankful to the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) for granting me PhD study leave. I sincerely thank Social Science Research Council- Next Generation Africa Fellowship Programme for partially funding the study through Carnegie Corporation of New York and for sponsoring me to international workshops which impacted positively on my thesis. My utmost gratitude goes to Mr. Charles Mwebi who worked with me round the clock in the field and particularly for helping me connect with study participants in Tarakwa, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. I also thank Pastor Joseph Kioko of God of all Grace church, and my friend, Rosemary Muthoni, both of Mogoon Sub-location, Nakuru County for their coordination roles during the piloting of the research instruments. In the same vein, I am forever grateful to my late father, Zephaniah Mose Sibwoga, for the coordination role he played during the pilot study. Though you are not here to celebrate with me the completion of this work, I know you are rejoicing in heaven for this far I have come. I thank my research assistant, Nahashon Olume, for putting up with vast distances, the rugged terrain of Tarakwa, long working hours during the focus group discussions and always being on call to assist. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Locrane Moturi for unconditionally servicing my laptops throughout the study period. I also thank everybody whose support, prayers and motivation impacted on my studies in various ways, but I cannot exhaustively mention them here. For the will, strength, courage, determination and grace to do this work, I give God the glory. iv ABSTRACT Kenya’s elections have been marred with conflict since 1992, with Tarakwa being hit the most. However, in 2013, conflict was contained. While conflict management in 2013 was attributed to many factors, the role of language is tacit. The present study illuminated the relationship between language, conflict management and Kenya’s 2013 presidential elections. The aim of the study was to analyze the lexico-pragmatic interpretation of conflict management in 2013 Kenyan presidential campaign speeches in Tarakwa, Uasin Gishu. The objectives of the study were to interpret lexical choices on conflict management in the 2013 Kenyan presidential campaign speeches; to establish the relevance of speech acts in the 2013 Kenyan presidential campaign speeches in conflict management; to examine the attitudes expressed towards the utterances of the 2013 Kenyan presidential campaign speeches in conflict management and to investigate the interpretation of specific stylistic effects of the 2013 Kenyan presidential campaign speeches in conflict management. The study employed relevance theory by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson (1995) and speech act theory by John Austin (1969). Cognitive and communicative principles and speech act categories respectively were employed. Analytical research design was employed. The study area was Tarakwa. The study population were 8 presidential candidates of 2013, 150 campaign speeches and 37,683 residents of Tarakwa. 4 presidential candidates namely Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Martha Karua; 12 campaign speeches and Tarakwa were purposively sampled. Data was collected through online extraction of presidential campaign speeches and focus group discussion. A pilot study was conducted in Kapkures, Nakuru. For validity, the researcher ensured the research tools contained all information that would answer the research questions. Data was analyzed qualitatively and presented according to the themes of lexical choices, speech acts, attitudes and stylistic effects. The findings revealed that narrowing of the concepts peace and unity denoted desisting from incitement, accepting election results and encompassing inclusive politics. Broadening denoted love, development, family hood and forgiveness. Through speech acts, presidential candidates warned people to desist from conflict, sought forgiveness, declared to accept election results and promised to seek court redress. Utterances that condemned tribalism and incitement were endorsed with approving attitudes. Dissociative attitudes of criticism and skepticism indicated ulterior motives for conflict management. Stylistic effects portrayed conflict management through accepting election results, defeat and rejecting insolence among candidates. In conclusion, the lexical choices peace and unity were basic in conflict management and presidential candidates needed to exhibit them. Speech acts influenced people to promote conflict management. Attitudes were discernible through candidates’ varying commitments to conflict management. Stylistic effects portraying dissociation with conflict, emphasized accepting defeat as a conflict management initiative. The study recommended use of lexical choices that promote conflict management in elections, employment of speech acts that prioritize the country’s peaceful existence during and after elections, shaping the attitudes of the electorates through downplaying incitement to violence and tribalism, and use of stylistic effects that discourage political altercations among presidential candidates. The study addresses the root causes of election-related conflict through language to achieve national integration. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Content Page TITLE PAGE .............................................................................................................................. i DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................ iv ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................. xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................. xii OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS ........................................................................ xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background to the Study ...................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................................