Can this planet's oldest president retain his title and attract a country of young electorate?
This planet's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he seeks his 8th straight presidential term on Sunday.
The 92-year-old has already been in office for over four decades - another 7-year mandate could see him rule for half a century making him almost a century old.
Election Controversies
He defied broad demands to leave office and faced criticism for only showing up for one public appearance, using the majority of the campaign period on a 10-day private trip to the European continent.
Criticism concerning his reliance on an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his rivals courted voters in person, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.
Young Voters and Unemployment
It means that for the large portion of the people, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they experienced - more than sixty percent of the nation's 30 million inhabitants are younger than the quarter century mark.
Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "different faces" as she maintains "extended rule typically causes a sort of laziness".
"After 43 years, the population are weary," she states.
Youth unemployment has been a particular issue of concern for nearly all the contenders competing in the election.
Approximately 40% of youthful citizens between 15 and 35 are unemployed, with 23% of college-educated youth encountering difficulties in finding formal employment.
Opposition Candidates
Apart from young people's job issues, the election system has also stirred debate, particularly regarding the removal of a political rival from the presidential race.
The removal, approved by the highest court, was widely criticised as a ploy to prevent any serious competition to the incumbent.
A dozen candidates were authorized to vie for the country's top job, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - the two former Biya colleagues from the northern region of the country.
Voting Difficulties
In Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and Southwest regions, where a long-running separatist conflict persists, an election boycott closure has been imposed, halting commercial operations, movement and schooling.
The separatists who have imposed it have warned to target people who participates.
Since 2017, those seeking to create a separate nation have been fighting government forces.
The fighting has to date caused the deaths of at no fewer than 6,000 individuals and caused almost 500,000 people from their homes.
Election Results
Once polling concludes, the highest court has fifteen days to declare the results.
The interior minister has previously cautioned that no aspirant is authorized to announce winning prior to official results.
"Candidates who will seek to announce results of the leadership vote or any self-proclaimed victory contrary to the laws of the nation would have broken rules and need to be prepared to receive penalties matching their violation."
