Electoral posters continue to dominate the urban landscape of Kinshasa, despite calls to order from the authorities. A few days before the official start of the electoral campaign, the candidates proudly display their faces on placards and panels, thus ensuring maximum visibility among the population.
The Higher Audiovisual and Communication Council (CSAC), as well as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Interior, have nevertheless requested the removal of all pre-campaign posters. But on the ground, the reality is quite different. Signs and posters are multiplying, particularly in busy places such as Place Kintambo Magasins, Avenue du Tourisme or Boulevard du 30 Juin in Gombe.
Félix Tshisekedi, candidate for his own succession, is omnipresent on these advertising media, alongside national or provincial deputy candidates. Despite the directives given by the authorities, propaganda posters number in the dozens, even hundreds, in certain places in the capital.
The police have the complicated task of enforcing the measures to remove illegal posters. Some political leaders even seek to intimidate the agents responsible for removing them. Some police commanders admit to waiting for official notification from their superiors before acting, while others say they have already started implementing the directives.
This situation raises questions about the effectiveness of measures taken to regulate electoral propaganda. Despite the calls to order, the candidates seem determined to maximize their visibility in the capital. In a tense political context, the massive presence of electoral posters can contribute to the polarization and saturation of public space.
It remains to be seen whether the authorities will succeed in enforcing electoral rules and ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process. In the meantime, the inhabitants of Kinshasa will have to deal with this omnipresence of political propaganda in their daily lives.