Can this world's oldest president retain the title and attract a country of young electorate?
This planet's most aged leader - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he aims for his 8th straight presidential term this weekend.
The 92-year-old has remained in power for over four decades - an additional 7-year term could extend his reign for half a century until he will be almost 100.
Election Issues
He defied widespread calls to leave office and has been criticised for only showing up for a single campaign event, spending most of the political race on a ten-day unofficial journey to Europe.
Negative reaction concerning his reliance on an AI-generated election advertisement, as his challengers sought voters on the ground, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.
Young Voters and Joblessness
It means that for the vast majority of the people, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - above 60% of Cameroon's thirty million people are below the 25 years old.
Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "new blood" as she believes "extended rule naturally results in a type of inertia".
"After 43 years, the people are weary," she states.
Young people's joblessness has become a notable issue of concern for most of the aspirants running in the vote.
Nearly 40% of youthful Cameroonians between 15 and 35 are unemployed, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates experiencing problems in obtaining official jobs.
Opposition Candidates
Beyond young people's job issues, the voting procedure has created dispute, particularly regarding the removal of an opposition leader from the election contest.
His exclusion, upheld by the legal authority, was generally denounced as a ploy to block any serious competition to the incumbent.
12 candidates were approved to contest for the leadership position, comprising an ex-government official and Bello Bouba Maigari - both previous Biya colleagues from the north of the nation.
Voting Challenges
In Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and South-West areas, where a extended rebellion persists, an voting prohibition lockdown has been enforced, paralysing business activities, transport and learning.
Rebel groups who have established it have promised to attack individuals who participates.
Starting four years ago, those attempting to establish a independent territory have been fighting state security.
The conflict has so far killed at minimum 6k individuals and compelled almost half a million others from their residences.
Election Results
After Sunday's vote, the Constitutional Council has two weeks to declare the outcome.
The security chief has already warned that no aspirant is permitted to announce winning beforehand.
"Individuals who will seek to declare outcomes of the leadership vote or any personal declaration of success contrary to the laws of the republic would have violated boundaries and must prepare to receive penalties matching their violation."