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This planet's oldest head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he seeks his eighth consecutive presidential term on Sunday.

The elderly leader has stayed in power for over four decades - another 7-year term could keep him in power for half a century reaching almost a century old.

Campaign Issues

He ignored numerous appeals to resign and has been criticised for making merely one public appearance, devoting much of the political race on a 10-day private trip to Europe.

Criticism over his use of an artificial intelligence created election advertisement, as his challengers sought supporters directly, prompted his quick return north on his return home.

Youth Voters and Unemployment

Consequently for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - more than 60% of Cameroon's thirty million people are below the quarter century mark.

Youthful advocate Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "fresh leadership" as she believes "extended rule inevitably leads to a type of complacency".

"After 43 years, the people are exhausted," she says.

Young people's joblessness has been a notable issue of concern for most of the contenders competing in the vote.

Almost forty percent of young residents between 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with 23% of recent graduates experiencing problems in finding formal employment.

Rival Contenders

In addition to young people's job issues, the election system has created debate, particularly regarding the disqualification of Maurice Kamto from the election contest.

The removal, confirmed by the highest court, was widely criticised as a strategy to prevent any strong challenge to the incumbent.

12 aspirants were approved to compete for the country's top job, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and a previous supporter - each previous Biya allies from the north of the country.

Election Challenges

Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and South-West regions, where a long-running insurgency continues, an poll avoidance lockdown has been established, paralysing commercial operations, travel and education.

Rebel groups who have established it have threatened to target people who casts a ballot.

Since 2017, those attempting to establish a separate nation have been fighting state security.

The violence has until now caused the deaths of at minimum 6,000 individuals and compelled almost 500,000 people from their homes.

Election Results

Once polling concludes, the legal body has fifteen days to announce the results.

The security chief has previously cautioned that no candidate is allowed to announce winning beforehand.

"Those who will try to declare outcomes of the presidential election or any unofficial win announcement against the rules of the country would have broken rules and need to be prepared to receive consequences matching their violation."