Will the world's most aged leader retain his position and woo a country of young voters?
The planet's oldest head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he aims for his eighth straight term in office on Sunday.
The nonagenarian has stayed in office for over four decades - another seven-year mandate could keep him in power for 50 years making him almost 100.
Campaign Controversies
He resisted numerous appeals to step down and has been criticised for only showing up for one public appearance, devoting much of the political race on a 10-day unofficial journey to the European continent.
Negative reaction over his reliance on an artificial intelligence created election advertisement, as his opponents courted supporters in person, saw him rush to the northern region upon his arrival.
Young Voters and Unemployment
This indicates for the great bulk of the population, Biya remains the sole leader they remember - above 60% of Cameroon's 30 million residents are younger than the age of 25.
Youthful campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she maintains "extended rule typically causes a type of laziness".
"With 43 years passed, the people are tired," she states.
Young people's joblessness has become a notable discussion topic for nearly all the candidates competing in the political race.
Nearly forty percent of young Cameroonians aged from 15 to 35 years are without work, with 23% of college-educated youth facing challenges in securing official jobs.
Opposition Candidates
Beyond youth unemployment, the election system has also stirred debate, notably concerning the removal of an opposition leader from the election contest.
The removal, confirmed by the legal authority, was broadly condemned as a tactic to block any serious competition to the current leader.
12 aspirants were cleared to vie for the country's top job, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - each ex- Biya associates from the northern region of the country.
Election Difficulties
In Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where a protracted rebellion ongoing, an poll avoidance closure has been imposed, paralysing business activities, transport and learning.
The separatists who have enforced it have threatened to target people who casts a ballot.
Since 2017, those working toward a separate nation have been fighting official military.
The conflict has to date resulted in at minimum six thousand individuals and caused almost five hundred thousand residents from their homes.
Vote Outcome
Once polling concludes, the Constitutional Council has 15 days to announce the findings.
The government official has already warned that no aspirant is allowed to claim success prior to official results.
"Candidates who will try to announce results of the political race or any unofficial win announcement contrary to the laws of the nation would have crossed the red line and must prepare to face penalties commensurate to their crime."
