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This planet's most aged leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has promised Cameroon's voters "the future holds promise" as he seeks his 8th consecutive presidential term this weekend.

The 92-year-old has already been in power for over four decades - an additional seven-year term could extend his reign for half a century until he will be almost a century old.

Campaign Controversies

He resisted widespread calls to leave office and drew backlash for attending just one rally, spending most of the political race on a ten-day personal visit to Europe.

A backlash over his use of an AI-generated campaign video, as his challengers actively wooed voters in person, prompted his quick return north on his return home.

Youth Voters and Unemployment

It means that for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - over sixty percent of the nation's 30 million residents are under the age of 25.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she thinks "prolonged leadership typically causes a sort of laziness".

"With 43 years passed, the population are weary," she says.

Young people's joblessness has become a specific discussion topic for the majority of the aspirants running in the vote.

Nearly forty percent of young residents aged from 15 and 35 are without work, with twenty-three percent of college-educated youth experiencing problems in obtaining official jobs.

Rival Candidates

In addition to youth unemployment, the voting procedure has also stirred controversy, particularly regarding the disqualification of Maurice Kamto from the election contest.

The removal, approved by the Constitutional Council, was widely criticised as a ploy to prevent any significant opposition to President Biya.

12 contenders were cleared to vie for the leadership position, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - the two previous Biya colleagues from the north of the country.

Election Difficulties

In Cameroon's English-speaking Northwest and South-West areas, where a long-running rebellion persists, an voting prohibition lockdown has been enforced, halting commercial operations, movement and schooling.

Rebel groups who have established it have threatened to attack individuals who participates.

Starting four years ago, those working toward a independent territory have been fighting state security.

The conflict has until now caused the deaths of at minimum six thousand individuals and compelled nearly half a million others from their homes.

Vote Outcome

Once polling concludes, the highest court has two weeks to declare the outcome.

The security chief has previously cautioned that none of the contenders is allowed to announce winning in advance.

"Candidates who will seek to reveal findings of the leadership vote or any self-proclaimed victory against the laws of the country would have violated boundaries and must prepare to face penalties appropriate for their violation."