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| Officials fall to Kazakh corruption drive | Officials fall to Kazakh corruption drive |
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| Mr Dzhakishev is suspected of defrauding the state nuclear firm | |
| A number of senior government officials have fallen to an anti-corruption drive in Kazakhstan, but some are questioning the motives behind the latest campaign, says the BBC's Central Asia correspondent Rayhan Demytrie. | A number of senior government officials have fallen to an anti-corruption drive in Kazakhstan, but some are questioning the motives behind the latest campaign, says the BBC's Central Asia correspondent Rayhan Demytrie. |
| The government has introduced a series of anti-corruption measures, some more gimmicky than others. | The government has introduced a series of anti-corruption measures, some more gimmicky than others. |
| The latest is for civil servants to wear badges stating: "I am against corruption." | |
| "We thoroughly studied anti-corruption methods used in other countries before coming up with these suggestions," says Mirbulat Kunbayev, a member of the anti-corruption council of the ruling Nur Otan party. | "We thoroughly studied anti-corruption methods used in other countries before coming up with these suggestions," says Mirbulat Kunbayev, a member of the anti-corruption council of the ruling Nur Otan party. |
| "I understand that it will not eliminate corruption, but I think anyone wearing the badge will think twice before asking for a bribe. This method has been successfully used in Malaysia." | "I understand that it will not eliminate corruption, but I think anyone wearing the badge will think twice before asking for a bribe. This method has been successfully used in Malaysia." |
| Other suggestions have been to hold a competition for the best anti-corruption song and introduce life sentences for government employees found guilty of stealing "particularly large sums" from state funds. | Other suggestions have been to hold a competition for the best anti-corruption song and introduce life sentences for government employees found guilty of stealing "particularly large sums" from state funds. |
| 'Ten slashing punches' | 'Ten slashing punches' |
| Other measures are much more serious. | Other measures are much more serious. |
| "The media misinterpreted us," says Mr Kunbayev, who is unhappy that only these novelties were singled out from the anti-corruption drive. | "The media misinterpreted us," says Mr Kunbayev, who is unhappy that only these novelties were singled out from the anti-corruption drive. |
| The country has been hit badly by the global economic crisis, and this big scale anti-corruption war could be one of the means to take the public's attention away from real problems Andrei Chebotaryov, political analyst | The country has been hit badly by the global economic crisis, and this big scale anti-corruption war could be one of the means to take the public's attention away from real problems Andrei Chebotaryov, political analyst |
| "We suggested a whole list of measures aimed at creating a powerful anti-corruption system." | "We suggested a whole list of measures aimed at creating a powerful anti-corruption system." |
| In April, President Nursultan Nazarbayev suggested paying cash rewards to ordinary citizens for turning in any corrupt state officials they encounter. | |
| Last year the president said corruption in the country had to be fought with "10 slashing punches". He ordered the creation of a special programme aimed at eliminating fraud and dismissing top government officials implicated in corruption. | |
| Some have not had to wait too long. | Some have not had to wait too long. |
| According to official figures, close to 1,000 corruption investigations have been opened this year, many of them against government employees. | According to official figures, close to 1,000 corruption investigations have been opened this year, many of them against government employees. |
| Transparency plea | Transparency plea |
| In a recent survey conducted by the International Republican Institute - a US-funded organisation that promotes good governance - Kazakhs consider traffic police, the customs service and the general prosecutors office as the country's most corrupt institutions. | In a recent survey conducted by the International Republican Institute - a US-funded organisation that promotes good governance - Kazakhs consider traffic police, the customs service and the general prosecutors office as the country's most corrupt institutions. |
| But the current wave of sackings and arrests over allegations of corruption mainly involves high-ranking officials. | But the current wave of sackings and arrests over allegations of corruption mainly involves high-ranking officials. |
| In early June, President Nazarbayev fired his ex-Defence Minister Danial Akhmetov, a long time loyalist and former prime minister. | |
| No official reason was giving for his dismissal. | No official reason was giving for his dismissal. |
| Just weeks before, Mr Akhmetov's deputy Kazhimurat Mayermanov was arrested on corruption charges. | Just weeks before, Mr Akhmetov's deputy Kazhimurat Mayermanov was arrested on corruption charges. |
| Kazakhs believe their traffic police is one of the most corrupt institutions | |
| A statement from the National Security Committee (KNB) said that Mr Mayermanov and several other defence ministry officials were accused of purchasing defective military equipment from Israel and misappropriating $82m from the defence budget. | |
| "Ahmetov's dismissal was somehow expected ever since the whole corruption scandal at the defence ministry began. It was just a matter of time," says Daulet Zhumabekov, an ex-soldier who has battled corruption at the defence ministry. | "Ahmetov's dismissal was somehow expected ever since the whole corruption scandal at the defence ministry began. It was just a matter of time," says Daulet Zhumabekov, an ex-soldier who has battled corruption at the defence ministry. |
| In May Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the head of the state-owned nuclear firm "Kazatomprom", was arrested along with a number of his deputies. | In May Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the head of the state-owned nuclear firm "Kazatomprom", was arrested along with a number of his deputies. |
| The authorities say Mr Dzhakishev appropriated 60% of Kazakhstan's uranium deposits, worth billions of dollars, and sold them to foreign firms. | The authorities say Mr Dzhakishev appropriated 60% of Kazakhstan's uranium deposits, worth billions of dollars, and sold them to foreign firms. |
| His arrest caused a stir in Kazakh business circles, prompting a group of businessmen to write an open letter to President Nazarbayev urging transparency in Mr Dzhakishev's criminal case. | His arrest caused a stir in Kazakh business circles, prompting a group of businessmen to write an open letter to President Nazarbayev urging transparency in Mr Dzhakishev's criminal case. |
| The businessmen said a secret investigation would tarnish Kazakhstan's international image and deter potential investors. | The businessmen said a secret investigation would tarnish Kazakhstan's international image and deter potential investors. |
| But the authorities are releasing little information about the case. Mr Dzhakishev's wife and family are not allowed to visit him and lawyers have been denied access. | But the authorities are releasing little information about the case. Mr Dzhakishev's wife and family are not allowed to visit him and lawyers have been denied access. |
| "Dzhakishev was known as an honest and talented manager," says Sergey Smirnov, an energy expert from the journal Expert-Kazakhstan. | "Dzhakishev was known as an honest and talented manager," says Sergey Smirnov, an energy expert from the journal Expert-Kazakhstan. |
| "Any Kazatomprom contract has to be approved by the government and the ministry of energy and natural resources. Technically it is impossible that Dzhakishev could have appropriated 60% of uranium deposits," says Mr Smirnov. | "Any Kazatomprom contract has to be approved by the government and the ministry of energy and natural resources. Technically it is impossible that Dzhakishev could have appropriated 60% of uranium deposits," says Mr Smirnov. |
| During his 10-year tenure Mr Dzhakishev led Kazatomptom to become one of the world's top uranium producers. | During his 10-year tenure Mr Dzhakishev led Kazatomptom to become one of the world's top uranium producers. |
| There is also an ongoing case against former Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov and two of his deputies, who are charged with financial manipulation and embezzling more than $6m from the state budget. | |
| Power struggle? | Power struggle? |
| In a recent interview with Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, the head of Kazakh national security Amangeldi Shabdarbayev said that there was no political implication in the cases against top government officials. | In a recent interview with Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, the head of Kazakh national security Amangeldi Shabdarbayev said that there was no political implication in the cases against top government officials. |
| "Every case is a result of a thorough investigation by the general prosecutor's office and other institutions," Interfax-Kazakhstan quoted Mr Shabdarbiyev as saying. | "Every case is a result of a thorough investigation by the general prosecutor's office and other institutions," Interfax-Kazakhstan quoted Mr Shabdarbiyev as saying. |
| But some are questioning the timing of the latest anti-corruption drive. | But some are questioning the timing of the latest anti-corruption drive. |
| "The country has been hit badly by the global economic crisis, and this big scale anti-corruption war could be one of the means to take the public's attention away from real problems," says political analyst Andrei Chebotaryov. | "The country has been hit badly by the global economic crisis, and this big scale anti-corruption war could be one of the means to take the public's attention away from real problems," says political analyst Andrei Chebotaryov. |
| Others suggest the anti-corruption drive is part of a bigger power struggle and an excuse to purge unfavourable figures from Kazakhstan's ruling elite. | Others suggest the anti-corruption drive is part of a bigger power struggle and an excuse to purge unfavourable figures from Kazakhstan's ruling elite. |