Presidential Rhetoric Amid COVID-19 Pandemic: The Unpacking of Namibia 2021 State of the Nation Address (SONA) Speech

Abstract

One of the significant speeches the Namibian presidency delivers is the State of the Nation Address (SONA). It is a constitutional obligation for the President to address the nation during the consideration of the national budget to review past policies and programmes and articulate the government’s priorities for the next financial year. Speechmaking is one of the essential roles of presidents in announcing their policies and persuading the nation. This article is a textual analysis of the 2021 SONA speech delivered by President Hage Geingob during the crisis time of COVID-19. Using a qualitative approach, the research analyses the most common rhetorical devices that Geingob used to achieve social change during this crisis. The analysis grounds on charismatic leadership theory, by focusing on three structural components, namely leader, followers, and context, as influenced by the three Aristotelian rhetorical appeals of pathos, ethos, and logos. The speech demonstrates Geingob’s presidency's ongoing response to the COVID-19 crisis. The president advanced the values of democracy, united the Namibian people, and used valence rhetoric that offers the nation a sense of security and stability as they face the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.