A Discourse Analysis of Power, Austerity, and Deliverables: Examining the 2026 Budget Hearings Speech by the Zambian Secretary to the Cabinet

This article presents a linguistic analysis of the opening remarks delivered by Mr Patrick K. Kangwa, Secretary to the Cabinet of the Republic of Zambia, at the 2026 Budget Hearings Meeting in August 2025. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the study examines how language constructs authority, communicates fiscal constraint, and mobilises action among government officials. The analysis reveals strategic use of institutional pronouns, imperative structures, religious framing, and the rhetorical device of ‘deliver, deliver, deliver’ as a performative speech act. The speech demonstrates how political discourse navigates the tension between celebrating achievements and announcing budget cuts, ultimately constructing a narrative where reduced resources are framed not as failure but as an opportunity for greater efficiency and patriotic service. The article also attends to discursive silences – what the speech omits – and situates the analysis within Zambia’s specific political and religious context.