Persuasion on the Campaign Trail

Abstract

This chapter shows that the pursuit of out-group voters affects not only where candidates hold rallies but also what they say on the campaign trail in Kenya. For presidential hopefuls the central task is to at once to project an inclusive image while also casting doubt on the ethnic favoritism intentions of their rivals. Candidates rely on a mix of positive and negative messages, both aimed primarily at potential fence-sitters in swing communities. Positive messages about the candidate’s own accomplishments and proposals signal the leader’s inclusive intentions. Negative claims about rivals are crafted with the goal of limiting competitors’ appeal beyond their ethnic strongholds. Empirically, this chapter draws on nearly 120 hours of audio recordings of campaign speeches from Kenya’s 2007 election. The chapter provides an overview of the main themes on the campaign trail in the 2007 race and uses structured content analysis to examine campaign messages.