Kazakhstan’s leader from 1991 until 2019, Nazarbayev has long been the arbiter of all business and political decisions in the central Asian nation, and the purveyor of an all-encompassing personality cult. In 2019, he handpicked a successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, while retaining power behind the scenes.
But after the worst unrest since independence broke out earlier this month, Nazarbayev was absent from public view. Official figures say 225 people died in the unrest and crackdown. Meanwhile, the man who personified Kazakhstan for so long seemed to have simply disappeared.
Some said he was hiding out on the shores of Lake Geneva or in Dubai. According to a number of sources, he remains ed in Kazakhstan, probably in the capital, Nur-Sultan, the city that bears his name.
“My best information is that Nazarbayev is alive, and furious negotiations are underway with Tokayev about the redistribution of assets,” a well-connected former western government official said last weekend.
This story is from the January 21, 2022 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 21, 2022 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Presidents Assemble Obama And Clinton Give Biden Boost
For once showbusiness royalty - Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Lea Michele and Mindy Kaling was not the main attraction. Instead it was a trio of US presidents that enticed people to pay up to half a million dollars for New York's hottest ticket.
How Island Kept Death Toll Low In Massive Earthquake
For Nina Huang, it was the shaking that jolted her awake. "The first thing I did when I woke up was to hold the cupboard next to my daughter. I was afraid that it might fall down on her," she recalled. Then her phone buzzed with a warning about a tsunami.
Anguish Over Tens Of Thousands Of Missing Palestinians
Late one night in March, Ahmed Abu Jalala rose quietly, trying hard not to wake his family, sleeping around him on the floor of a UN-run school in northern Gaza.
Everyday magic From Rafael Nadal's ball-bouncing to wedding and funeral traditions, does ritualistic behaviour serve any purpose?
The adjective \"ritual\", from Latin via French, means related to religious rites. As soon as it appeared, however, the word \"ritual\" could be used in a derogatory fashion to denote things empty of authentic spiritual content.
Not doing well A survivor of a life-threatening illness charts the history of health anxiety, asking if it is a rational response to our flawed bodies
In the 14th century, King Charles VI of France suffered from a curious delusion. He believed his body was made entirely of glass. A relatively new material, both fragile and transparent, glass captures the hypochondriac's acutest fear - brittle vulnerability - with their greatest desire: visceral omniscience.
London calling The life of a workingclass writer made good is the dark, Dickensian spine of this enjoyable stateof-the-nation novel
The city itself is the star of all great London novels, and plays whatever role is required by the tale or the times. It was a semi-sentient organism in Dickens's Bleak House, wrapped in fog and thick with mud.
Hitman who wears a hoodie
In 2014, Ed Sheeran became the most-streamed pop star in the world. The 10 years since have seen the artist dominate music-for better or worse. How did he do it?
Genre gap Beyoncé's new album falls short
Cowboy Carter arrives on the back of booming business for the country genre, drowning out the Black music history it claims to celebrate
Keeper of the flame
It is seen as one of the greatest films ever. So what has Víctor Erice been doing in the halfcentury since The Spirit of the Beehive? As his new film hits screens, he reveals all
If the defeated Tories lurch further right it is bad news for Labour
For many people reading this, the analogy will seem ludicrous, but hear me out: if the Conservative party was one of your friends, you'd be very worried about them.
