Cameroonians went to the polls on Sunday in a presidential election likely to extend President Paul Biya’s 43-year rule, making the 92-year-old leader one of the world’s longest-serving heads of state.

The single-round vote in the Central African nation of 30 million people is expected to return Biya for another seven-year term. He faced 11 challengers, including 79-year-old Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesman who quit Biya’s cabinet in June to run against him. Bakary has emerged as the leading opposition figure after prominent rival Maurice Kamto was barred from the race.

Analysts, however, predict Biya will retain power thanks to his tight control over state institutions and a fragmented opposition. “We shouldn’t be naive — the ruling system has the means to get results in its favour,” said political scientist Stéphane Akoa, adding that this year’s campaign has been livelier than usual.

According to Oxford Economics analyst François Conradie, Biya’s long-standing “divide to rule” strategy and a powerful electoral machine make another victory likely. “Although he isn’t very aware of what’s going on, the machine he built will divide to rule one last time,” he said.

Despite economic growth since 2023, unemployment, falling commodity prices and a rising cost of living have left many Cameroonians frustrated. “We want change because the current government is dictatorial,” said Yaounde driver Hassane Djbril. Others echoed calls for better jobs, clean water, and healthcare.

Biya, who rarely appears in public, held just one rally during the campaign, drawing a modest crowd in Maroua compared with thousands attending Bakary’s nearby event. His health has been the subject of speculation, with reports that he spends extended periods in Europe while delegating governance to close aides.

More than eight million people were registered to vote, including 34,000 overseas. Results are due by October 26. The election also unfolds amid ongoing conflict in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions, where clashes between separatists and government forces have continued since 2016.

For many voters, the hope is simple: that whoever wins will finally address the country’s deep economic and social challenges. “We don’t want just words anymore,” said Herves Mitterand, a mechanic in Douala. “We want to see real change.”