Will this planet's most aged president keep the title and attract a nation of young voters?
This world's most aged leader - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he seeks his eighth straight presidential term this weekend.
The nonagenarian has stayed in office since 1982 - an additional 7-year term could see him rule for 50 years making him almost 100.
Campaign Issues
He resisted broad demands to step down and has been criticised for attending just a single campaign event, using the majority of the campaign period on a ten-day private trip to the European continent.
A backlash regarding his reliance on an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his rivals actively wooed voters in person, led to his hurried travel north upon his arrival.
Youth Voters and Unemployment
Consequently for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they remember - over sixty percent of Cameroon's 30 million people are under the quarter century mark.
Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she maintains "prolonged leadership typically causes a type of laziness".
"With 43 years passed, the citizens are weary," she says.
Employment challenges for youth remains a specific talking point for most of the contenders competing in the political race.
Nearly 40% of young citizens aged from 15-35 are unemployed, with twenty-three percent of young graduates facing challenges in finding regular work.
Rival Candidates
In addition to youth unemployment, the voting procedure has created controversy, especially with the exclusion of a political rival from the leadership competition.
The disqualification, approved by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a ploy to block any strong challenge to the incumbent.
Twelve aspirants were cleared to compete for the presidency, featuring an ex-government official and Bello Bouba Maigari - each ex- Biya associates from the north of the country.
Election Challenges
Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and Southwest regions, where a protracted separatist conflict persists, an voting prohibition closure has been imposed, paralysing business activities, travel and schooling.
Insurgents who have imposed it have warned to harm individuals who does vote.
Since 2017, those attempting to establish a independent territory have been clashing with government forces.
The fighting has to date resulted in at minimum six thousand lives and compelled nearly 500,000 people from their homes.
Vote Outcome
Following the election, the highest court has two weeks to reveal the results.
The government official has previously cautioned that no candidate is permitted to claim success prior to official results.
"Individuals who will try to announce results of the political race or any unofficial win announcement in violation of the rules of the republic would have broken rules and must prepare to receive retaliatory measures appropriate for their offense."
