Will the world's most aged leader retain the position and woo a country of young electorate?

The planet's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he aims for his eighth consecutive presidential term this weekend.

The nonagenarian has stayed in power since 1982 - an additional 7-year mandate could keep him in power for half a century making him almost a century old.

Election Issues

He ignored broad demands to step down and faced criticism for only showing up for a single campaign event, spending most of the election season on a week-and-a-half private trip to Europe.

A backlash regarding his reliance on an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his opponents actively wooed constituents directly, saw him rush north upon his arrival.

Young Voters and Unemployment

It means that for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - more than sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million people are under the 25 years old.

Youthful campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "new blood" as she thinks "prolonged leadership naturally results in a sort of inertia".

"Following four decades, the people are weary," she says.

Youth unemployment has become a notable talking point for most of the aspirants competing in the vote.

Approximately 40% of young citizens aged from 15 to 35 years are jobless, with 23% of young graduates experiencing problems in securing official jobs.

Rival Candidates

Beyond young people's job issues, the election system has generated controversy, notably concerning the disqualification of an opposition leader from the presidential race.

His exclusion, approved by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a tactic to prevent any significant opposition to the incumbent.

12 candidates were cleared to contest for the leadership position, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - both former Biya associates from the northern region of the country.

Voting Challenges

Within the nation's English-speaking Northwest and Southwest territories, where a protracted rebellion continues, an election boycott closure has been imposed, halting business activities, travel and learning.

The separatists who have enforced it have warned to attack individuals who casts a ballot.

Starting four years ago, those attempting to establish a breakaway state have been fighting government forces.

The fighting has so far caused the deaths of at minimum 6k people and compelled nearly half a million people from their residences.

Election Results

Once polling concludes, the highest court has fifteen days to announce the findings.

The interior minister has already warned that none of the contenders is allowed to announce winning beforehand.

"Those who will attempt to declare outcomes of the leadership vote or any unofficial win announcement against the rules of the nation would have violated boundaries and should be ready to encounter penalties matching their crime."