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This planet's oldest leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has pledged the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he pursues his eighth straight term in office on Sunday.

The 92-year-old has stayed in office for over four decades - another 7-year mandate could keep him in power for half a century making him almost a century old.

Election Controversies

He resisted widespread calls to leave office and drew backlash for making merely one public appearance, using the majority of the election season on a 10-day unofficial journey to Europe.

Criticism over his reliance on an computer-generated political commercial, as his challengers sought voters in person, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.

Young Population and Unemployment

It means that for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they experienced - over sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million residents are younger than the quarter century mark.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she maintains "longevity in power typically causes a type of inertia".

"With 43 years passed, the citizens are exhausted," she states.

Youth unemployment has become a specific talking point for nearly all the aspirants competing in the election.

Almost forty percent of young citizens aged from 15-35 are jobless, with 23% of recent graduates experiencing problems in obtaining regular work.

Rival Contenders

Beyond youth unemployment, the electoral process has created controversy, notably concerning the removal of a political rival from the presidential race.

The disqualification, approved by the legal authority, was widely criticised as a tactic to prevent any significant opposition to the current leader.

12 candidates were cleared to contest for the country's top job, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary and a previous supporter - each previous Biya allies from the north of the nation.

Election Challenges

In Cameroon's English-speaking North-West and Southwest territories, where a extended separatist conflict persists, an voting prohibition restriction has been enforced, halting commercial operations, transport and education.

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

Since 2017, those attempting to establish a independent territory have been clashing with official military.

The fighting has so far caused the deaths of at minimum 6k lives and compelled approximately 500,000 people from their homes.

Election Results

Following the election, the Constitutional Council has fifteen days to announce the outcome.

The interior minister has earlier advised that no candidate is allowed to announce winning prior to official results.

"Candidates who will seek to declare outcomes of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory against the regulations of the nation would have violated boundaries and must prepare to receive penalties appropriate for their crime."