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The world's oldest head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he aims for his eighth straight term in office on Sunday.

The elderly leader has stayed in power for over four decades - another 7-year mandate could keep him in power for 50 years reaching almost a century old.

Campaign Issues

He resisted widespread calls to leave office and faced criticism for only showing up for one rally, using the majority of the political race on a 10-day private trip to Europe.

Negative reaction over his reliance on an computer-generated campaign video, as his opponents sought supporters in person, prompted his quick return north after coming back.

Young Population and Joblessness

Consequently for the large portion of the population, Biya remains the sole leader they remember - above sixty percent of the nation's 30 million inhabitants are under the age of 25.

Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "different faces" as she thinks "prolonged leadership inevitably leads to a sort of inertia".

"Following four decades, the citizens are tired," she declares.

Employment challenges for youth has been a particular talking point for most of the candidates competing in the political race.

Almost forty percent of young residents between 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with 23% of young graduates encountering difficulties in securing regular work.

Rival Contenders

In addition to young people's job issues, the electoral process has also stirred debate, particularly regarding the exclusion of an opposition leader from the election contest.

The disqualification, upheld by the highest court, was widely criticised as a tactic to block any strong challenge to the incumbent.

A dozen candidates were cleared to contest for the country's top job, featuring a former minister and a previous supporter - both ex- Biya colleagues from the northern region of the nation.

Election Challenges

Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and Southwest territories, where a protracted separatist conflict persists, an poll avoidance closure has been imposed, stopping commercial operations, movement and learning.

The separatists who have imposed it have promised to target individuals who casts a ballot.

Since 2017, those working toward a separate nation have been battling government forces.

The fighting has to date resulted in at least six thousand lives and caused approximately 500,000 others from their houses.

Vote Outcome

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

The government official has earlier advised that none of the contenders is authorized to declare victory in advance.

"Those who will try to declare outcomes of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory against the regulations of the republic would have broken rules and need to be prepared to face penalties matching their crime."