[Global Issue+] The Real Person Responsible for the Kazakhstan Protests, 'Nursultan'

Long-term 29-Year Rule Fuels Social Conflict
Resignation from Public Office and Overseas Escape Following Protests

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Amid escalating political instability in Kazakhstan, former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, known as the behind-the-scenes ruler, is reported to have fled the country. Nazarbayev, who ruled Kazakhstan for 29 years until 2019 after its independence from the former Soviet Union, is known as the figure responsible for the wealth gap and social conflicts identified as the main causes of the recent protests. Criticism against him is expected to intensify as allegations have emerged that his former close aides attempted a coup using the current unrest.

Nazarbayev’s Close Aides Arrested on Treason Charges...He Himself Flees Abroad

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 8th (local time), according to Russia’s TASS news agency, the Public Relations Office of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KGB) announced, "Following an internal investigation into charges of state treason on the 6th, Karim Massimov, Chairman of the KGB, and other officials were arrested and detained."

Kazakhstan’s KGB, the top intelligence agency succeeding the Soviet KGB, had Massimov serving twice as Prime Minister under former President Nazarbayev from 2007 to 2012 and 2014 to 2016. He also served as Chief of the Presidential Administration (Secretary) from 2012 to 2014 and had been the KGB Chairman since 2016. He was known as a key aide to Nazarbayev.

Alongside Chairman Massimov, Samat Abish, First Deputy Chairman of the KGB and Nazarbayev’s nephew, was reportedly arrested on the 7th in Almaty. This has led to analyses suggesting that Nazarbayev’s close aides may have orchestrated the protests to overthrow the current administration led by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Meanwhile, former President Nazarbayev reportedly left Kazakhstan soon after the protests began, followed shortly by his family members. Among his family, only his brother Bolat is said to remain in Kazakhstan. His flight abroad has further deepened suspicions of treason among his close aides.

Prolonged Rule Deepens Social Conflicts...Behind-the-Scenes Control Weakens Regime’s Authority

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The reason former President Nazarbayev has come under scrutiny during the current protests is that he is still believed to wield strong power behind the scenes. He ruled Kazakhstan for an astonishing 29 years from 1990, when Kazakhstan gained independence from the Soviet Union, until 2019. The capital city of Kazakhstan, 'Nursultan,' was also renamed after him following his retirement from the presidency.

While he is credited for focusing on resource development such as oil and uranium and stabilizing Kazakhstan’s multiethnic and multireligious society through inclusive policies during his long tenure, he is also known as the main cause of the severe wealth gap. During his rule, wealth was concentrated among a small group of close aides and businesspeople, which has been pointed out as a factor deepening social conflicts in Kazakhstan today.

The New York Times (NYT) analyzed, "Former President Nazarbayev was notorious for periodically causing social unrest and demoting key government officials to maintain his long-standing one-man dictatorship," adding, "Policies aimed at strengthening his presence within the regime have instead caused significant turmoil in the government after his retirement."