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The world's oldest head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's voters "better days are ahead" as he aims for his eighth straight term in office this weekend.

The nonagenarian has remained in power since 1982 - an additional seven-year term could extend his reign for 50 years until he will be almost 100.

Campaign Issues

He ignored numerous appeals to leave office and has been criticised for only showing up for one rally, spending most of the campaign period on a 10-day personal visit to Europe.

Negative reaction regarding his reliance on an computer-generated election advertisement, as his rivals courted supporters on the ground, led to his hurried travel north upon his arrival.

Young Population and Unemployment

This indicates for the large portion of the people, Biya is the only president they experienced - over sixty percent of the nation's thirty million people are under the quarter century mark.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she maintains "extended rule inevitably leads to a type of complacency".

"With 43 years passed, the citizens are tired," she declares.

Youth unemployment remains a specific talking point for nearly all the aspirants running in the election.

Nearly forty percent of youthful Cameroonians aged from 15-35 are jobless, with twenty-three percent of young graduates experiencing problems in securing formal employment.

Rival Contenders

Apart from young people's job issues, the voting procedure has generated controversy, notably concerning the removal of a political rival from the election contest.

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

Twelve contenders were approved to compete for the leadership position, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and a previous supporter - each former Biya colleagues from the north of the nation.

Election Difficulties

In Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and South-West areas, where a long-running separatist conflict ongoing, an election boycott lockdown has been enforced, halting business activities, travel and learning.

Rebel groups who have enforced it have warned to target anyone who participates.

Since 2017, those seeking to create a separate nation have been fighting state security.

The violence has so far caused the deaths of at least six thousand people and caused approximately 500,000 others from their residences.

Election Results

Following the election, the highest court has fifteen days to announce the results.

The security chief has previously cautioned that none of the contenders is authorized to declare victory in advance.

"Those who will seek to declare outcomes of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory contrary to the regulations of the country would have violated boundaries and must prepare to encounter retaliatory measures commensurate to their offense."