Was there an agreement for Japarov and Tashiyev to alternate the presidency?

Amid the protests in Kyrgyzstan in October 2020, which brought Sadyr Japarov and Kamchybek Tashiyev to power after their release from prison, rumors spread that the two had reached an agreement to divide state leadership in sequence. According to the speculation, after Japarov’s term ended, he would hand over the presidency to Tashiyev. These questions have recently resurfaced in Kyrgyz society. In an interview with the Kabar news agency, President Japarov addressed the issue and denied any such agreement.

A journalist asked whether there had been talk before the election about an arrangement under which “one term would belong to one, and the next term to his close ally.”

“Kyrgyzstan is a democratic country. It is not a handful of people who decide who governs the state, but the people of Kyrgyzstan. According to the Constitution, every citizen has the right to participate in elections, and the person who earns the people’s trust and has a high rating among the population is elected president. Therefore, talk about ‘one term for this person, another term for that person’ contradicts democratic principles and political culture. Such ideas can be seen as an attempt to deprive the people of their right to choose,” Japarov said.

According to the president, the chain of events began in parliament.

“Certain groups of deputies began calling others and asking, ‘Are you on our side or on their side?’ When deputies asked who was meant by ‘our side’ and ‘their side,’ they were told: ‘Our side is the general’s side, their side is the president’s side,’ with ranks being shown as proof.

This division then spread to community elders. They began collecting signatures to hold early elections, claiming that this had been agreed at the highest level and that parliament was preparing to announce early elections,” he said.

The head of state believes that if he had not assessed the situation in time and taken decisive action, the disorder in parliament could have spread into everyday life.

“I had evidence that deputies and some civil servants were being intimidated with references to the ‘general.’ They were told: ‘If you don’t join our side, you will have to deal with the general.’ That is why I had to make this decision,” he said.

Tashiyev’s resignation

On February 10, Kamchybek Tashiyev, head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security and Deputy Prime Minister, was dismissed by presidential decree. He said his decision was motivated by a desire to prevent division in society. Tashiyev stated that he learned about the decision while undergoing a scheduled medical check-up in Germany following heart surgery.

Following his departure, First Deputy Chairman Kurbonbek Avazov, Cybersecurity Center Director Daniyar Risaliyev, and Anti-Terrorism Center Director Elizar Smanov were also dismissed. Abdukarim Alimboyev was removed from the post of first deputy head of the State Committee for National Security and appointed chairman of the State Border Service. He was replaced by Rustam Mamasadykov, who had served as Secretary of the Security Council.

Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov, who had served as head of the committee’s 9th service and deputy chairman since 2020, was appointed acting head of the State Committee for National Security. On the same day, the Border Service was separated from the committee’s structure.

The Japarov–Tashiyev tandem

Kamchybek Tashiyev was appointed head of the State Committee for National Security on October 16, 2020, by a decree signed by Sadyr Japarov while serving as acting president after the events of October 5–6, 2020.

Their long-standing relationship had been considered one of the most stable and influential political alliances in the country. Their cooperation began long before they came to power, as they were often on the same side of political developments in the early 2010s and even went through a shared criminal episode in 2012, which strengthened their personal ties.

After the events of October 2020, the tandem took its final shape: Sadyr Japarov became president, while Kamchybek Tashiyev was appointed head of the security services and became a key pillar of the power bloc. He oversaw high-profile cases, shaped security policy, and was widely seen as one of the president’s closest trusted allies.

Experts often described their alliance as the country’s strongest political duo, and any кадров changes around Tashiyev were viewed as a sign of major shifts in the power structure.

In recent months, rumors had circulated in political circles that the security chief might participate in the upcoming presidential elections. Tashiyev repeatedly stated that he did not intend to run for president and would support Sadyr Japarov.