Islam Karimov was re-elected Uzbekistan President by 88.1 per cent of the vote, according to provisional official results announced by the electoral commission Monday of the previous day's poll, the state news agency UzA said. The news agency earlier said electoral authorities declared valid Sunday's election in the former Soviet republic - although opponents of the authoritarian Karimov claimed the poll was manipulated.

Some accused authorities of filling in ballot papers of millions of absent, emigrant workers and using the votes to stuff ballot boxes, according to the independent online news service Uznews.

Estimates have it that between 15 and 40 per cent of eligible voters are currently working in Russia or Kazakhstan.

Karimov, 69, had said as he voted in the capital Tashkent that Uzbeks were taking part in their first real election this year.

Karimov's challengers were without exception party loyalists who are mostly unknown to the public. There were no opposition candidates.

Opponents have argued that Karimov is barred by the constitution from having a third term in office. His second term expired at the beginning of the year.

Karimov won more than 90 per cent of the vote in the 2000 presidential election.