ALEM RESEARCH, an analytical company, has presented an information rating of akims (regional governors) of areas and cities of national importance, compiled based on monitoring media and social networks for October 2023.
Yerbol Karashukeev, the head of the Zhambyl region, is not frequently featured in the top of most-cited akims. His fourth position in October is more of an exception. It’s notable that the positive tonality outweighs the negative by about twice. However, negative posts on social networks enjoyed increased popularity. It’s also observed that the akim’s press service responds to criticism when it directly concerns the akimat (regional government). All other posts are ignored.
Asphalt and Rain
The regional segment of Kaznet (Kazakh Internet) was outraged by photo and video evidence of laying asphalt in the rain. The post quickly garnered critical comments like ‘money down the drain’ and ‘who builds like this.’
An attempt to quell the rising wave of negativity was made by a representative of the akimat. In their comments, they assured Kaznet that there was no cause for alarm. They explained that the work had started before the rain; when it began to drizzle, the work continued because minor precipitation does not affect the quality of the initial asphalt laying stage. As soon as the precipitation intensified, the work was suspended.
The local administration also conducted an educational session, reminding about SNiP 3.06.03-85, which states, “Asphalt concrete should only be laid in dry weather, although some exceptions are allowed. Specifically, if certain types of asphalt are used, namely mixes with activated mineral materials, repairs can be carried out in damp weather, but only during low-intensity precipitation”.
After the akimat’s response, additional questions arose that remained unanswered. For instance, why do repair works annually commence right before winter, and why is the akimat reluctant to name the contractor, among other queries. Doubts surfaced about the quality of the asphalt used in Taraz, with some commentators, possibly knowledgeable in the field, pointing out that while SNiP (construction norms and regulations) allows exceptions, they require certain conditions to be met, which seem impractical to achieve.
Football and a Booth
An open letter from fans of the local football club ‘Taraz’ to the regional akim gained widespread attention. According to the authors, the club is facing financial difficulties, and the akimat could do something to save ‘Taraz.’ They also called for an end to the staffing chaos — each new akim brings a new club director, resulting in frequent changes that impede strategic planning for the club’s development.
The akimat was slow to reassure fans, but some commentators recalled that the local sports authority had promised to take measures, though not guaranteeing that the club wouldn’t have to return to a lower league.
The story about a veterinary booth didn’t get as much coverage, but it was hard to ignore. The author claimed that the video shows a veterinary post intended to protect the region from anthrax. The author emphasized that during the filming, the temperature outside was +4 degrees Celsius.
There was no official reaction to this marvel of innovative veterinary technology.
Park and Explosion
The situation with a park in the village of Merki district caused a stir. A post reported that 62 trees were cut down. The land with the park was sold by someone for business construction, and the villagers found out when the park turned into a wasteland with stumps and a large spot of ash from burnt branches.
The villagers appealed to Yerbol Karashukeev to help restore the park. According to the author, they have already approached the local prosecutor’s office and even suggested a way to find funds for the park’s restoration – the legally prescribed fine for destroying green plantations would almost entirely cover the costs. However, the regional akimat remained silent, apparently deciding that it was not the akim’s place to intervene in internal disputes. The local authorities, the district akimat, stated that they had started an investigation.
The story of the explosion at a local brick factory didn’t gain as much attention as the tragedy at the Karaganda mine but significantly tarnished the positive image of the regional akim. In the absence of information, conspiracy theories filled the void.
The author wrote that his spouse was one of the victims during an accident at the cement plant of LLC ‘Zhambyl NEDRA’ in Karatau. One of the furnaces exploded, resulting in five people being hospitalized in critical condition, two of whom died.
The post is quite extensive. The author asserts that when his wife was discharged from the hospital, she was offered money for her silence, but she refused because safety measures were completely inadequate. According to his wife, there are no proper conditions for workers at the factory. For instance, they are not provided with the required safety gear, like special clothing. The gloves they do get are made of synthetic material and are therefore completely useless for their work.
The first to respond to the post was the police, who reported that a pre-trial investigation is underway concerning this matter. The second response came from the Labor Inspection, claiming that everything is under control and that the investigation results have been passed to law enforcement. Netizens were particularly struck by the statement that «the degree of guilt of the employer and employee is determined in percentage terms,» and that all guilty parties will be punished according to their level of fault.
Highlighting the risk that such formulations might force the injured to pay for equipment repairs, the discussion then moved to conspiracy theories. The situation with labor protection and workers’ rights clearly did not arise overnight, but the labor commission merely records incidents and acts on facts, ignoring prevention. Therefore, Erbol Karashukeev should check his officials and appoint an independent commission to thoroughly investigate all facts, assess the condition of equipment and risks, and then make the findings publicly available. That is, of course, unless the governor himself has a personal interest in the cement factory.
ALEM RESEARCH emphasizes that they provide exclusively the results of media and social network monitoring, which cannot be directly used to assess the performance and effectiveness of high-ranking officials. Therefore, the company does not bear any responsibility for any interpretations or assumptions related to the monitoring results that may appear in the media or on social networks.