Can this planet's oldest leader retain his position and attract a country of youthful electorate?
The world's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "better days are ahead" as he aims for his 8th consecutive term in office on Sunday.
The 92-year-old has already been in office since 1982 - an additional seven-year mandate could see him rule for half a century until he will be almost 100.
Campaign Controversies
He defied broad demands to step down and has been criticised for only showing up for one rally, devoting much of the political race on a ten-day personal visit to the European continent.
Negative reaction concerning his dependence on an computer-generated political commercial, as his challengers sought voters on the ground, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.
Youth Voters and Unemployment
Consequently for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they have known - over sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million people are below the quarter century mark.
Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she believes "extended rule naturally results in a type of laziness".
"After 43 years, the people are exhausted," she declares.
Employment challenges for youth remains a particular issue of concern for most of the aspirants competing in the political race.
Nearly 40% of youthful citizens between 15 and 35 are without work, with twenty-three percent of young graduates encountering difficulties in finding official jobs.
Opposition Contenders
Beyond youth unemployment, the voting procedure has generated controversy, especially with the removal of a political rival from the election contest.
The removal, approved by the Constitutional Council, was broadly condemned as a ploy to prevent any significant opposition to the current leader.
Twelve aspirants were authorized to vie for the country's top job, including a former minister and another former ally - the two previous Biya colleagues from the north of the nation.
Election Difficulties
In Cameroon's English-speaking North-West and Southwest territories, where a long-running insurgency continues, an poll avoidance restriction has been enforced, paralysing commercial operations, travel and schooling.
The separatists who have established it have threatened to attack people who does vote.
Beginning in 2017, those seeking to create a breakaway state have been clashing with official military.
The violence has to date caused the deaths of at minimum 6,000 individuals and forced approximately half a million others from their homes.
Vote Outcome
Following the election, the legal body has two weeks to announce the findings.
The interior minister has previously cautioned that no candidate is authorized to announce winning in advance.
"Those who will attempt to declare outcomes of the presidential election or any unofficial win announcement against the regulations of the republic would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to receive retaliatory measures commensurate to their violation."
