Can the planet's most aged leader retain his position and attract a nation of youthful electorate?
The planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised the nation's electorate "better days are ahead" as he pursues his eighth straight term in office on Sunday.
The elderly leader has remained in office for over four decades - an additional 7-year term could extend his reign for half a century making him almost 100.
Election Controversies
He ignored numerous appeals to step down and faced criticism for only showing up for one public appearance, spending most of the election season on a ten-day unofficial journey to the European continent.
A backlash over his reliance on an AI-generated political commercial, as his opponents sought voters in person, saw him rush to the northern region on his return home.
Youth Voters and Unemployment
Consequently for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - more than 60% of the nation's thirty million people are younger than the quarter century mark.
Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "new blood" as she maintains "longevity in power inevitably leads to a type of laziness".
"Following four decades, the population are weary," she states.
Employment challenges for youth has become a particular issue of concern for most of the candidates running in the political race.
Nearly forty percent of young citizens between 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates experiencing problems in obtaining regular work.
Opposition Contenders
Beyond youth unemployment, the voting procedure has created controversy, notably concerning the disqualification of Maurice Kamto from the leadership competition.
The disqualification, approved by the highest court, was generally denounced as a strategy to block any strong challenge to the current leader.
Twelve aspirants were approved to vie for the country's top job, including an ex-government official and a previous supporter - the two former Biya associates from the northern region of the nation.
Voting Difficulties
In Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and South-West territories, where a long-running insurgency ongoing, an voting prohibition lockdown has been enforced, halting business activities, transport and schooling.
Rebel groups who have established it have promised to attack individuals who casts a ballot.
Beginning in 2017, those seeking to create a separate nation have been fighting official military.
The fighting has to date caused the deaths of at least 6,000 people and compelled approximately five hundred thousand others from their houses.
Vote Outcome
Once polling concludes, the legal body has two weeks to announce the outcome.
The government official has previously cautioned that no candidate is permitted to declare victory beforehand.
"Those who will seek to announce results of the leadership vote or any self-proclaimed victory against the rules of the nation would have violated boundaries and must prepare to receive retaliatory measures matching their offense."
