The calm in the Kazakh domestic political life that started after the completion of the first step in the transformation of the authoritarian political regime and the super-presidential power vertical into the “double-headed” one is reaching its end. This can be seen from the specially interesting developments unfolding inside the Kazakh elite.

First of all, we are talking about stirring up the process of refocusing the clans and influential figures on the key domestic political players. Particularly, on the eldest daughter of Kazakhstan’s First President, the Speaker of the Senate Dariga Nazarbayeva.

Just today Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev has reappointed the her a senator based upon the presidential quota. By the looks of it, she may be elected the head of the chamber again. Thus, she will retain her status of the second highest-ranked state official in the country.

Based on the information received from our insiders, at least two large domestic business-groups (the head of one of them is on the Forbes’ list and enjoys the reputation of a smart, extremely cautious and forethoughtful entrepreneur) have become Dariga Nursultanovna’s secret business-partners. Allegedly, they acted upon their own initiative having given (with nil consideration) a share in their business-projects to her trusted people.

Of course, this information needs verifying which we are doing at present. However, we must note that the sources mentioned have not let us down even once.

According to the information provided by other insiders, Dariga Nazarbayeva is now preoccupied with founding her own political party and is considering both the creation of a new civic organization as well as the “buying” of an already existing one. If this is true, it means that the Speaker of the Senate has started vigorous preparations for the period when her father will no longer be able to protect her and when the chances for retaining her current power status will be reduced drastically.

Another piece of confidential information has to do with current Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Russia Imangali Tasmagambetov. According to our insiders, his relatives including his son-in-law Kenes Rakishev are not only reducing their participation in the projects in Kazakhstan but also diligently tying up all the “loose ends” (probably in order to diminish the risk of receiving any kind of claims on the part of the state). All this is being done without attracting attention.

In our opinion, there are two explanations as to why the Tasmagambetov family is acting this way.

• Either Imangali Tasmagambetov is preparing for an active participation in the domestic political life after Nursultan Nazarbayev’s passing (including an attempt to become if not the next President then at least one of the key players).
• Or he is getting ready to retire. The latter means that he will lose the last levers of influence in Akorda and may find himself in the firing line.

All these pieces of inside information show that the revival of the Kazakh domestic political life is happening not only in the politically active part of the society and inside the ruling elite as well. Which portends rather difficult times for Akorda and for both “tops” of the Kazakh power headed by the Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev.

This cannot but please us since, due to the recent years’ stagnation, the country now strongly resembles a swamp dragging down any initiatives of both the authorities and the citizens. Now, at last, the first blubs have started to appear on these stagnant political waters.