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The planet's most aged leader - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's electorate "the future holds promise" as he aims for his 8th straight term in office this weekend.

The elderly leader has already been in office since 1982 - an additional 7-year term could keep him in power for half a century reaching almost a century old.

Election Controversies

He defied widespread calls to resign and faced criticism for making merely a single campaign event, using the majority of the campaign period on a ten-day personal visit to the European continent.

A backlash concerning his dependence on an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his challengers actively wooed voters in person, saw him rush north after coming back.

Young Voters and Unemployment

This indicates for the large portion of the people, Biya is the only president they have known - above sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million people are below the 25 years old.

Youthful campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "new blood" as she thinks "extended rule typically causes a sort of complacency".

"Following four decades, the people are tired," she states.

Employment challenges for youth has become a particular discussion topic for the majority of the contenders running in the vote.

Almost forty percent of youthful residents between 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with 23% of college-educated youth experiencing problems in finding official jobs.

Rival Contenders

In addition to youth unemployment, the voting procedure has generated debate, notably concerning the removal of a political rival from the leadership competition.

The removal, confirmed by the highest court, was widely criticised as a ploy to prevent any significant opposition to President Biya.

12 aspirants were cleared to contest for the presidency, comprising a former minister and Bello Bouba Maigari - the two previous Biya allies from the north of the nation.

Voting Difficulties

Within the nation's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where a protracted separatist conflict continues, an poll avoidance closure has been established, stopping economic functions, transport and schooling.

Rebel groups who have established it have promised to attack people who casts a ballot.

Starting four years ago, those working toward a independent territory have been clashing with official military.

The conflict has to date killed at no fewer than 6,000 people and compelled nearly 500,000 others from their houses.

Election Results

Once polling concludes, the Constitutional Council has two weeks to declare the outcome.

The interior minister has already warned that none of the contenders is authorized to announce winning in advance.

"Those who will seek to announce results of the political race or any personal declaration of success in violation of the regulations of the nation would have broken rules and should be ready to receive retaliatory measures commensurate to their offense."