Kazakhstan President Sacks Cabinet in Bid to Head Off Protests
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Salma Hossein
- . January 5, 2022
- . Update: January 11, 2022 7:27 pm
Kazakhstan–Kazakhstan’s president sacked the cabinet on Wednesday in a bid to head off protests. The protests took place in several states in the country due to an increase in prices for Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).
More than 200 people were detained during protests that took place across Kazakhstan. Reportedly, thousands of people took to the streets in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis. Another protest took place in the western province of Mangystau. People said that the price rise of LPG was unfair and demanded a lower price. Protesters gathered at the mayor’s office in Almaty.
Clashes erupted in Almaty, with police firing stun grenades and tear gas into a crowd of more than 5,000 people. However, police were unable to prevent the protesters from entering the building. Subsequently, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had to accept the resignation of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Askar Mamin.
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Protests in Mangystau and Almaty
As per the report by AFP, men dressed in police uniforms throw down their shields and helmets into a pile of protesters. The interior ministry said 95 police officers were injured during the protests. The ministry said that protestors blocked roads and caused traffic. Footage from Mangystau was shared on social media on Tuesday. The footage showed that thousands of protesters were encircled by police officers.
Reportedly, an overnight curfew will be placed from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am in Mangystau and Almaty. The curfew will be imposed from January 5 until January 19. Reportedly, city authorities urged residents to stay home, saying that the law enforcement operation was starting.
The initial cause of the incident was a surge in prices for LPG in hydrocarbon-rich Mangystau. However, a government move to lower the prices in line with protesters’ demands failed to calm them.
