Will this planet's most aged leader retain his title and woo a nation of youthful voters?

The planet's oldest leader - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's voters "better days are ahead" as he pursues his 8th straight term in office this weekend.

The 92-year-old has remained in power since 1982 - an additional seven-year term could see him rule for half a century reaching almost 100.

Campaign Controversies

He defied broad demands to step down and has been criticised for making merely a single campaign event, devoting much of the campaign period on a 10-day personal visit to Europe.

Criticism over his use of an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his opponents courted supporters directly, led to his hurried travel to the northern region on his return home.

Young Population and Joblessness

It means that for the large portion of the population, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - above 60% of the nation's thirty million residents are under the age of 25.

Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she thinks "prolonged leadership naturally results in a kind of laziness".

"After 43 years, the citizens are exhausted," she declares.

Employment challenges for youth has become a notable talking point for nearly all the contenders running in the political race.

Nearly 40% of young citizens aged from 15 to 35 years are without work, with 23% of young graduates encountering difficulties in finding official jobs.

Opposition Contenders

In addition to young people's job issues, the voting procedure has generated dispute, notably concerning the exclusion of an opposition leader from the presidential race.

The removal, upheld by the Constitutional Council, was generally denounced as a ploy to block any strong challenge to the incumbent.

A dozen contenders were approved to compete for the leadership position, comprising a former minister and a previous supporter - each previous Biya associates from the northern region of the nation.

Election Challenges

In Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where a protracted insurgency continues, an election boycott closure has been imposed, stopping commercial operations, travel and schooling.

Insurgents who have established it have promised to attack individuals who casts a ballot.

Since 2017, those attempting to establish a separate nation have been fighting government forces.

The violence has to date caused the deaths of at least 6k lives and forced approximately five hundred thousand residents from their homes.

Election Results

After Sunday's vote, the highest court has fifteen days to announce the outcome.

The government official has earlier advised that no candidate is permitted to claim success prior to official results.

"Individuals who will attempt to reveal findings of the political race or any unofficial win announcement against the laws of the republic would have violated boundaries and should be ready to face retaliatory measures appropriate for their offense."