Why has Kazakhstan declared a nationwide emergency?

Once regarded as a stable, self-sufficient country in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has found itself in a situation of turmoil recently. The country has always had an abundance of resources, especially when it comes to those related to energy and fuel. However, clashes and protests all over the Central Asian country have worsened as a result of a rise in fuel prices. On January 5, Almaty, the largest city in the country, stood in flames as a statue of the first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, was taken down as a sign of protest. What was once a calm, peaceful, energy-rich nation has plunged into chaos over the last few days. Read on to find out what went wrong in Kazakhstan.  

Why are the people of Kazakhstan protesting? 
Protests have not been a frequent occurrence in the country since its independence in 1999.  However, dozens of civilians have been killed in the ongoing clash, while hundreds of others were left injured. What sparked these protests was a significant rise in the price of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is what most Kazakhs use for their vehicles. Citizens fear that this increase would also be reflected in the price of other necessities and day-to-day commodities. This, in turn, will deepen the socio-economic divide in the country. Apart from this, the protests were a result of the general dissatisfaction amongst people in regard to their government. Its authoritarian tendencies, corruption and bias towards the elite have left the people in rage. The preceding leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev is also being accused of using the current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as his pawn, thus weakening Kazakhs’ confidence in the government. 

What is the government doing to control the situation? 
In order to control the unprecedented situation, the government of Kazakhstan has instituted a national emergency for two weeks. Social networking apps and websites such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, etc. have been blocked. It was also announced that the fuel prices will be slashed even lower than what they used to be prior to the cost surge. The protests have gone so far that the government was forced to dismiss the cabinet, with demands of a parliamentary dissolution. This would mean that fresh elections would be held to replace the current regime.