Page 54 - bne magazine February 2022_20220208

54 I Special focus I Kazakhstan bne February 2022
Tokayev, top, addresses parliament by video link.
Kazakhstan’s Tokayev slates ‘Nazarbayev’ oligarchs in populist attempt to turn page on country’s unrest
bne IntelliNews
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym- Jomart Tokayev, who showed vulnerability when he resorted to inviting in Russian troops to help stamp out a growing uprising, on January
11 attempted to change the narrative with a populist turn in which he hit out at how “oligarchic groups” took root
in the country under his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev and announced he was setting up a For the People of Kazakhstan national fund that would require contributions from the wealthy and profitable companies.
In a video call with parliament, Tokayev, who became president in 2019, said that under the 29-year-long Nazarbayev presidency, "a group of very profitable companies emerged in the country as
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well as a group of people wealthy even by international standards".
"I think it is time they pay their dues to the people of Kazakhstan and help them on a systemic and regular basis," he added.
Kazakhstan’s financial system, said Tokayev, was dominated by large busi- ness groups "based on the principle 'everything for friends, and laws for everyone else'".
'Abandoned their posts'
Tokayev also hit out at security officials, saying that as the unrest grew they abandoned their posts and let protest- ers capture weapons and classified documents.
Since the unrest was brought under con- trol, Tokayev, backed in his assessment by Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, has, without any compelling evidence, dou- bled down on the claim that the violence on the streets and “attempted coup” were very much the work of foreign-trained plotters and “terrorists”. However, in
his televised address to lawmakers, the 68-year-old president conceded that the public discontent over income inequality was justified and he wanted associates of Nazarbayev to share their wealth.
Tokayev – who announced that his new government would be led by career public servant Alikhan Smailov and that Russian troops would begin withdraw- ing from Kazakhstan in two days – also said: "The time has come to give people