Kyrgyzstan’s security chief Kamchybek Tashiev dismissed in surprise move as political landscape shifts

After the October 2020 protests that led to the resignation of then-President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and brought Japarov to power, Tashiev was appointed head of the security services and quickly became a central figure in the country’s security and law enforcement apparatus. Analysts frequently described Japarov and Tashiev as the country’s most powerful political duo, with Tashiev widely viewed as the second most influential person in Kyrgyzstan.

Under Japarov’s presidency, which began with a pledge to wage a decisive fight against corruption, the SCNS was granted broad powers. Tashiev’s committee launched high-profile investigations against senior officials and reported the recovery of billions of som for the state budget.

In an interview last December, Tashiev said that over a five-year campaign, the SCNS had returned 300 billion som (approximately $34 million) to the budget. He also stated that more than 1,000 real estate properties and 30,000 hectares of land had been returned to state ownership, arguing that previous privatizations had violated the law and that corrupt officials had dismantled and sold off public assets for personal gain prior to 2020.

Tashiev also played a prominent role in resolving border issues with neighboring countries, including negotiations with Uzbekistan. In a recent documentary interview, he said talks with the Uzbek side had at times been difficult and even led to a dispute with Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, after which the presidents of the two countries intervened and negotiations resumed.

Election backdrop and political speculation

Japarov’s presidential term runs until January 2027, with the next election scheduled for the fourth week of January next year. The president has not formally announced whether he will seek re-election, but in a recent address he expressed confidence that, if he runs, he would secure stronger support than in 2021, when he was elected with around 80% of the vote.

Public debate has intensified in recent weeks over whether early presidential elections should be held. On February 9, one day before Tashiev’s dismissal, Japarov and Parliament Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu reportedly received a petition signed by 75 individuals, including former prime ministers, former members of parliament and public figures, calling for urgent elections this year.

The signatories argue that Japarov was elected under the old Constitution in 2021, while the new Constitution adopted in April 2021 sets a five-year presidential term. However, the law on the Constitution, which entered into force on May 5, 2021, stipulates that the president elected for six years in 2021 continues to exercise his powers in accordance with the new Constitution and that this term counts as his first.

Public opinion is divided: some advocate early elections as a way out of legal ambiguities, while others insist that the current six-year term should run its course.

Against this backdrop, Tashiev’s resignation has fueled speculation about possible presidential ambitions. Although he has repeatedly stated that he does not intend to run and would support Japarov, rumors of his potential candidacy had circulated in political circles.

According to a survey by the International Republican Institute, Tashiev’s approval rating in recent years rose from 14% to 22%, while public trust in President Japarov has remained relatively stable at around 35–38%.