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This planet's most aged leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has assured Cameroon's voters "better days are ahead" as he aims for his 8th consecutive term in office this weekend.

The 92-year-old has stayed in office for over four decades - an additional seven-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century until he will be almost 100.

Campaign Controversies

He defied widespread calls to step down and faced criticism for attending just a single campaign event, devoting much of the political race on a ten-day unofficial journey to Europe.

A backlash concerning his reliance on an AI-generated election advertisement, as his challengers actively wooed voters in person, led to his hurried travel to the northern region on his return home.

Young Population and Joblessness

This indicates for the great bulk of the population, Biya remains the sole leader they remember - above sixty percent of the nation's 30 million inhabitants are under the quarter century mark.

Youthful advocate Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she thinks "prolonged leadership typically causes a kind of complacency".

"Following four decades, the population are weary," she declares.

Employment challenges for youth remains a particular discussion topic for most of the aspirants running in the political race.

Nearly 40% of youthful residents aged from 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with twenty-three percent of young graduates facing challenges in obtaining official jobs.

Rival Candidates

Apart from young people's job issues, the electoral process has also stirred dispute, especially with the disqualification of an opposition leader from the leadership competition.

The removal, confirmed by the Constitutional Council, was generally denounced as a ploy to block any serious competition to the current leader.

12 aspirants were cleared to contest for the presidency, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and a previous supporter - both ex- Biya allies from the north of the country.

Voting Difficulties

Within the nation's Anglophone North-West and Southwest areas, where a extended separatist conflict continues, an voting prohibition closure has been imposed, stopping economic functions, travel and schooling.

Insurgents who have imposed it have threatened to attack individuals who casts a ballot.

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

The conflict has until now resulted in at least six thousand people and caused approximately half a million residents from their houses.

Vote Outcome

Once polling concludes, the highest court has fifteen days to reveal the results.

The government official has earlier advised that no candidate is permitted to announce winning beforehand.

"Individuals who will attempt to reveal findings of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory in violation of the rules of the country would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to encounter consequences matching their crime."