Kazakh president Nazarbayev resigns after 29 years in power

Kazakh president Nazarbayev resigns after 29 years in power

Kazakh president Nazarbayev resigns after 29 years in power

Long-time ruler of Kazakhstan, the Asian 9th largest country in the world, Nursultan Nazarbayev has announced his resignation today after almost 30 years in power, Russian news agency TASS reported.

“I have made the decision to end my tenure as president,” 78-year-old Nazarbayev said in a televised  address to the nation.

Nazarbayev’s duties will be performed by Senate Speaker Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, from Nazarbayev’s ruling party Nur Otan, until a new president is elected. Nazarbayev was the leader of Kazakhstan since 1990. He was on his fifth term when he resigned.

the 78 years old Nazarbayev said he would retain the post of the head of the country’s Security Council and leader of the Nur Otan party, and remain a member of the Constitutional Council, sputniknews.com reported.

Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea