Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK), a flagbearer aspirant of the All People’s Congress, has raised concerns over what he described as the shrinking democratic space in Sierra Leone, warning that increasing restrictions on campaign materials and political messaging could undermine democratic participation and political competition.

In an article titled “The Paradox of Visual Clutter: Shrinking Democratic Space and the Right to Campaign,” Kamara argued that public political expression through flyers, posters and pamphlets remains essential to democratic engagement and electoral competition.

According to JFK, as he is widely known, healthy democracies are traditionally characterised by active public debate and visible political campaigning in public spaces.

However, he claimed that despite the rapid growth of digital communication platforms, physical spaces for political expression are becoming increasingly restricted through regulations, permit requirements and law enforcement actions.

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Kamara stated that some of these measures are often presented as efforts to combat disinformation or visual pollution, but he argued that they can also be used to suppress opposing political voices.

Referring to recent actions involving the removal of posters, the APC aspirant alleged that the Minister of Information had reportedly ordered the removal of posters considered to be “litter.”

He described the situation as “information gerrymandering,” which he defined as the control of public visibility and attention through restrictions on campaign materials rather than through open competition of ideas.

He further alleged that enforcement of such measures appeared selective, claiming that opposition campaign materials are confiscated while posters and publicity materials linked to the ruling government remain untouched.

Kamara specifically pointed to what he described as the widespread presence of posters featuring President Julius Maada Bio and the First Lady across public spaces, while other forms of public advertising and notices also remain visible.

“The law is an ass,” Kamara stated in the article, arguing that unequal enforcement undermines fairness and political neutrality.

The APC flagbearer aspirant also maintained that the right to publish and distribute campaign materials is directly linked to the right of political actors to be heard by the electorate.

According to him, increasing the financial or legal risks associated with distributing political materials could weaken challengers and reduce opportunities for grassroots political movements, particularly in rural communities.

He warned that limiting access to voter guides, flyers and other campaign materials could negatively affect citizen participation and public debate ahead of elections.

Kamara called for the protection of democratic freedoms through what he described as content-neutral enforcement of littering regulations and fair treatment of political communication across both physical and digital platforms.

“A democracy that fears its own pamphlets is no democracy at all,” he wrote, adding that the credibility of elections should not only be judged by voting processes but also by whether citizens and political actors are freely allowed to communicate ideas during campaigns.