Uzbekistan’s Presidential election 2021
SIXTH presidential election of the Republic of Uzbekistan was held on 24 October in which in cumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev secured 81.1 percent of the votes.
Voter turnout was at 80.8 per cent. Thus people’s free will dominated and ultimately the “democracy” won.
In this connection, Uzbekistan Central Election Commission Chairman Zayniddin Nizamkhodjaev termed it fair, free and transparent and up to the internationally recognized democratic standards.
However, observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) again claimed that Mirziyoyev’s reform agenda had not yet resulted in a genuinely pluralistic environment which seems absolutely false, fictional and fake.
The OSCE in which the European Parliament also participated noted “significant procedural irregularities” on Election Day, adding that “important safeguards were often disregarded during voting, counting and tabulation” which is not true and seems to be fabricated.
According to preliminary data, 16,036,914 people or 80.8 percent participated in the election.
Moreover, 6,458,283 people were young people under the age of 30 of whom 887,686 voted for the first time which clearly demonstrated the “political activation” of the young generation of Uzbekistan who voted for better future, further sustainability of socio-economic prosperity and above all generation of new jobs.
Despite hue and cry of Western media most recently held presidential election was valid because it was in accordance with Article 96 of the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, elections which considered valid if at least 33 percent of voters took part in them.
The high turnout confirmed the growing political and legal consciousness, democratic culture and political activism of the people of Uzbekistan, which has now embarked toward further politicization and democratization.
Furthermore, it vividly reflected confidence of common people in rich ethnic diversity, rich multiculturalism, socio-economic prosperity, continuation of structural reforms and last but not the least, massive support of the people on the domestic and foreign policies.
Elections are the stimulators and centrifuges of liberalized democracy in which voters, local and international observers and journalists freely participate around the world.
In this regard they all took direct part in the presidential election of Uzbekistan and repeatedly noted that the presidential election in Uzbekistan are held in accordance with the new electoral codes completely recognized democratic principles such as openness, transparency, political pluralism, gender diversity, impartiality of the state, regulatory bodies, electoral apparatus, free media, vibrant civil society and, above all, free will of the voters.
Despite western media propaganda the election process was aired online using 414 video cameras installed at 207 polling stations in regions and cities of the country.
For maintaining complete electoral transparency, openness, easy access and creditably of the electioneering journalists from thousands of polling stations regularly broadcast live TV and radio comprehensive reports, video reports and interactive sessions/interviews.
The election process was shown around the world through social networks and websites.
Victory of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was the victory of his Action Strategy for five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 in which the most important administrative, legal and economic reforms were implemented.
During this period, according to Uzbek official statistics (October 25, 2021) its macro-economy developed by 24 percent and the industry by 34 percent.
Exports increased 1.5 times, while the volume of foreign investment grew three times. Meanwhile, the country’s gross domestic product has reached $160 billion, and the average monthly salary increased 2.2 times.
Diversified opportunities of production, human survival, stability of the system, further liberalization of national economy, streamlining of FDIs, massive befitting industrialization and above all new jobs have been institutionalized.
Moreover, model of Integrated and Balanced Development (IBD) of regions have been pursued.
In this regard, main focus was the development of science, education, healthcare, culture, arts, mass media and sports.
The CEC played a remarkable role to hold fair, free and transparent election of the internationally recognized standards which have now been rated as one of the most “creditable” election in the history of entire Central Asian Region.
For the first time voter lists were “formulated” on international standard with “multilingual” representations which ultimately removed all so-called genuine worries of the EU electoral agents and observers about the accuracy of the voter lists.
Unfortunately, OSEC again purposefully termed it “not truly competitive” and pointed to “the exclusion of opposition parties”.
In this regard, it claimed “significant procedural irregularities on Election Day. The writer was invited by Uzbekistan Central Commission as an international election observer.
While visiting to various polling stations on the Election Day he did not find any such so-called serious irregularity as mentioned by the OSEC.
However, minor human errors of the common voters were observed at polling stations in which CEC had no role.
Moreover, special facilitating arrangements were provided at every polling station to sick and disabled people which showed humanistic national character of Uzbek people.
Furthermore, provision of medical clinics, complete observance of SOPs of COVID-19, easy and smooth access to all the local & international observers and last but not the least, passionate participation of young people and females all indicated that presidential election was held in accordance with the internationally recognized standards of openness, transparency having fair and free electoral process. Thus election was contested with competitive spirits.
To conclude the writer upholds that Uzbekistan has now started new journey towards further politicization and democratization, qualitative life, economic sustainability, political stability, vibrant society, innovations, smarter economy, green revolution and above all social development pertaining to people’s wellbeing, prosperity, dignity and national sovereignty.
The grand slide victory of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is the confirmation of his visionary leadership, diversified policies, numerous structural reforms and, above all.
his firms belief in humanity, multiculturalism, political equality, civil equity, social tranquillity, financial self-reliance, accountability, corruption free state/society, listening state and last but not the least, holistic approach towards eradication of poverty and socio-economic-politico discriminations.
—The writer is Director, Geopolitics/Economics, Regional geopolitical expert of China, CPEC & BRI.
