Uzbek leader expected to secure 2nd term

Uzbekistan has voted in a presidential election in which incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev faced no genuine opposition and is almost certain to win a second term.

Mirziyoyev's predicted victory will allow him to deepen his largely successful reform campaign and likely lead to Uzbekistan opening up further to foreign trade and investment - while retaining a highly centralised political system.

Shortly after polls closed on Sunday, Central Election Commission Chairman Zayniddin Nizamkhodjaev said voter turnout reached 89.8 per cent, more than the 87.7 per cent reported in the 2016 vote when Mirziyoyev was first elected president.

"The people of Uzbekistan acknowledged that the election was carried out transparently, in line with international norms and democratic principles," he said.

The 64-year-old leader has rebuilt the resource-rich country's ties with both Russia and the West, which had become strained under his predecessor Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's first post-independence president.

Mirziyoyev has also lifted some restrictions on religious practices, reined in the powerful security services and released some political prisoners who had ended up behind bars due to Karimov's zero-tolerance approach towards dissent.

However, no genuine opposition parties have been registered so far and while bloggers and media can now criticise senior officials and raise sensitive issues, they never target the president himself.

The four candidates running against Mirziyoyev were nominated by parties that support the president.

Mirziyoyev's has pledged to cut poverty through rapid economic growth and gradually decentralise decision-making by devolving some powers to district councils.

Preliminary results of the vote are due on Monday.