Can the world's most aged leader keep the position and attract a country of youthful voters?
This planet's oldest head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has pledged the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he pursues his eighth straight presidential term on Sunday.
The nonagenarian has stayed in office for over four decades - an additional 7-year term could extend his reign for half a century reaching almost a century old.
Election Controversies
He resisted numerous appeals to step down and faced criticism for only showing up for one rally, devoting much of the campaign period on a 10-day personal visit to the European continent.
Criticism over his reliance on an AI-generated campaign video, as his rivals actively wooed constituents in person, led to his hurried travel to the northern region after coming back.
Young Voters and Joblessness
This indicates for the large portion of the people, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they have known - above sixty percent of Cameroon's 30 million inhabitants are below the 25 years old.
Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she believes "longevity in power inevitably leads to a type of inertia".
"Following four decades, the people are tired," she states.
Young people's joblessness remains a notable discussion topic for most of the candidates competing in the election.
Almost forty percent of young Cameroonians aged from 15-35 are jobless, with 23% of recent graduates encountering difficulties in finding official jobs.
Rival Contenders
In addition to young people's job issues, the electoral process has created controversy, notably concerning the exclusion of an opposition leader from the election contest.
His exclusion, confirmed by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a tactic to block any serious competition to the current leader.
A dozen candidates were approved to compete for the leadership position, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - both former Biya colleagues from the north of the nation.
Voting Difficulties
Within the nation's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where a protracted separatist conflict ongoing, an election boycott lockdown has been imposed, halting economic functions, movement and learning.
Rebel groups who have imposed it have warned to target anyone who casts a ballot.
Starting four years ago, those working toward a independent territory have been battling official military.
The conflict has so far resulted in at minimum 6k lives and compelled nearly half a million residents from their houses.
Vote Outcome
Following the election, the highest court has fifteen days to announce the results.
The government official has previously cautioned that none of the contenders is allowed to claim success beforehand.
"Candidates who will attempt to declare outcomes of the leadership vote or any self-proclaimed victory against the rules of the republic would have violated boundaries and should be ready to face penalties commensurate to their offense."
