Will the world's oldest president retain his position and attract a nation of youthful electorate?
This planet's oldest head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised the nation's voters "the best is still to come" as he pursues his eighth consecutive presidential term on Sunday.
The elderly leader has stayed in office for over four decades - another seven-year mandate could keep him in power for 50 years until he will be almost a century old.
Campaign Issues
He defied broad demands to leave office and faced criticism for attending just one public appearance, spending most of the campaign period on a 10-day unofficial journey to Europe.
Criticism over his use of an AI-generated election advertisement, as his challengers courted voters on the ground, prompted his quick return to the northern region upon his arrival.
Young Population and Joblessness
Consequently for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - above 60% of Cameroon's thirty million residents are below the 25 years old.
Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "different faces" as she believes "longevity in power inevitably leads to a kind of laziness".
"With 43 years passed, the population are weary," she says.
Young people's joblessness has become a particular issue of concern for nearly all the contenders running in the vote.
Almost 40% of youthful Cameroonians aged from 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with 23% of college-educated youth facing challenges in securing official jobs.
Rival Candidates
In addition to youth unemployment, the voting procedure has created debate, particularly regarding the exclusion of an opposition leader from the presidential race.
The disqualification, confirmed by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a tactic to block any serious competition to the current leader.
Twelve aspirants were authorized to vie for the leadership position, comprising a former minister and a previous supporter - each former Biya allies from the north of the country.
Election Challenges
Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and South-West areas, where a long-running separatist conflict ongoing, an election boycott lockdown has been enforced, stopping economic functions, transport and education.
The separatists who have imposed it have warned to attack people who participates.
Starting four years ago, those attempting to establish a independent territory have been battling official military.
The conflict has so far resulted in at no fewer than 6,000 lives and caused nearly 500,000 people from their houses.
Vote Outcome
Once polling concludes, the highest court has 15 days to reveal the outcome.
The interior minister has already warned that no candidate is permitted to claim success in advance.
"Those who will try to declare outcomes of the leadership vote or any self-proclaimed victory contrary to the rules of the republic would have violated boundaries and should be ready to encounter penalties commensurate to their violation."
