Will the world's most aged president keep the title and attract a country of youthful electorate?
The planet's oldest leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has assured Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he seeks his eighth consecutive term in office on Sunday.
The elderly leader has already been in power for over four decades - an additional 7-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century reaching almost 100.
Election Issues
He resisted numerous appeals to leave office and faced criticism for making merely a single campaign event, devoting much of the campaign period on a week-and-a-half private trip to the European continent.
Negative reaction concerning his dependence on an computer-generated election advertisement, as his challengers sought voters on the ground, saw him rush to the northern region upon his arrival.
Youth Population and Unemployment
This indicates for the great bulk of the people, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they experienced - more than sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million residents are below the age of 25.
Youthful campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she thinks "longevity in power naturally results in a sort of inertia".
"After 43 years, the population are tired," she says.
Youth unemployment has been a specific discussion topic for most of the contenders competing in the vote.
Almost forty percent of young residents between 15 and 35 are jobless, with 23% of recent graduates experiencing problems in securing official jobs.
Rival Contenders
Beyond youth unemployment, the voting procedure has also stirred debate, notably concerning the exclusion of a political rival from the election contest.
The disqualification, confirmed by the legal authority, was generally denounced as a tactic to stop any strong challenge to President Biya.
12 contenders were approved to contest for the country's top job, including an ex-government official and Bello Bouba Maigari - the two former Biya colleagues from the north of the country.
Election Difficulties
Within the nation's Anglophone North-West and South-West areas, where a protracted separatist conflict persists, an poll avoidance lockdown has been established, stopping business activities, travel and schooling.
Insurgents who have enforced it have warned to attack anyone who participates.
Starting four years ago, those working toward a separate nation have been battling state security.
The violence has to date caused the deaths of at minimum six thousand lives and compelled almost 500,000 others from their residences.
Election Results
Following the election, the legal body has fifteen days to declare the results.
The interior minister has previously cautioned that no aspirant is allowed to declare victory in advance.
"Individuals who will attempt to announce results of the leadership vote or any personal declaration of success in violation of the laws of the nation would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to encounter penalties commensurate to their offense."
