In just one week, the family of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has become humiliated and oppressed. After the most massive protests in the history of the republic, after which riots broke out with hundreds of victims (225 people died even according to the official version), the current head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced the era of dispossession on January 11.
True, the wording was originally for this, I chose the most streamlined:
- a lot of things in the country belong to “financial and industrial groups”;
- “we all know their names”;
- here you a new fund, into which “rich even by international standards” people who made a fortune under the Elbasy should donate without hesitation.
From the outside, Tokayev’s speech in parliament looked very compromise: we do not name anyone by name and offer to save those who may be connected with the organization of the riots their face and even part of the capital.
At the same time, appetites were immediately demonstrated: under the blow hit the interests
- Nazarbayev's youngest daughter Aliya (revision of the salvage collection, where the operator controlled by her dominated);
- brother Bolat (revision at the Khorgos customs checkpoint between Kazakhstan and China);
- oldest grandson of Nuraly Aliyev (project of a light rail surface metro in the capital),
- nephews (KNB reform).
But no one could even think that everyone would leave their posts at once.
Three Nazarbayev's sons-in-law lost their posts within three days.
- Billionaire Timur Kulibayev has suffered the least so far: he resigned (as expected, himself) from the post of chairman of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs.
Billionaire Timur Kulibayev, one of Nazarbayev's sons-in-law. Photo: Pavel Alexandrov/TASS
Two other relatives —
- businessman and head of Kaztransgaz Kairat Sharipbaev
- and the CEO of Kaztransoil Dimash Dosanov —
were removed from their posts at the same time, and MPs even allowed themselves to speak publicly about the beginning of the process of “deoligarchization of the economy ” in accordance with the “presidential program”.
Nazarbayev's nephew Samat Abish resisted the longest, whose fate is already being compared with fortune-telling on a camomile. According to initial reports, he was removed from the post of first deputy chairman of the National Security Committee on January 5, but then public games began with his status. Either he remained in his position (just now there are two first deputies), then he fulfills his duties, then he went on vacation — and now he is nevertheless removed. And officially still at large: rumors that he was detained were still circulating on January 7, which forced the all-powerful committee in the past to justify and explain.
Nazarbayev's nephew Samat Abish
In theory, nothing terrible for the family of Nursultan Nazarbayev happened in each specific case, removal from office does not mean automatic withdrawal of capital. But the dynamics are too frightening for the clan: not only does President Tokayev still not publicly assess the role of Nazarbayev Sr. in the events that have taken place (all attempts to put the Elbasy on the same level as the president come only from Nazarbayev’s own staff), but also to the closest relatives of the founder modern Kazakhstan is under a lot of information pressure.
- The eldest daughter Darigadoes not appear in parliament — and this was immediately savored in all the media (officially she has covid).
- The youngest daughter Alia wrote on Instagram that her father was supported by people and thanked them for this, and then the journalists found out that she was writing this from the United Arab Emirates: the page had to be deleted completely.
Yes, and other steps of the most powerful Kazakh family until 2022 immediately become public: Moskovsky Komsomolets found out where and how Nursultan Nazarbayev went in early January, and Kyrgyz journalists hunted his brother, whose planes flew to Dubai via Bishkek.