Secret Residences of Emomali Rahmon: How the President of Tajikistan Lives

Few in Tajikistan have noticed that over the past year, the frequency of sixty-nine-year-old Emomali Rahmon’s public appearances has significantly decreased. While the president used to appear before the cameras almost every day, this is now happening less frequently. It is not difficult to determine this by examining the photo album of the president’s press service on the Flickr platform. There, one can see how Emomali Rahmon takes multi-day breaks, sometimes lasting a week, a week and a half, or even two, between working trips to the regions and receptions for guests at the Palace of Nations.

We will not speculate on the reasons for such pauses in the presidential work calendar, nor do we intend to recount various rumors about Rahmon’s health. But we want to talk about the places where the president of Tajikistan spends his time when he disappears from public view.

Residences

The president of Tajikistan is fully provided with official housing and transportation, as well as a working residence, at the expense of taxpayers for the duration of his term in office. The president of such a small country as Tajikistan has many of these residences.

Palace of Nations

The official state residence of the president is the “Palace of Nations” in the center of Dushanbe, which occupies an area of 174 hectares. This building is considered the largest in the capital – the palace has over 280 rooms with a total area of 9,000 square meters. Its construction took 8 years and, according to some reports, cost 300 million dollars. Inside the residence, there are all the conditions for the president’s work and living. However, it has turned out that Emomali Rahmon uses this residence exclusively as an office and for official receptions.

Government Residence

Emomali Rahmon prefers to live and spend his free time on the grounds of the government residence. It is well known that every morning on weekdays, the president’s motorcade departs from there and returns in the evening after work. The territory of 235 hectares in the heart of the capital was allocated for the state residence back in Soviet times. In addition to the existing buildings of the Somon Palace, two buildings for holding large international conferences, and five residential complexes, another large palace measuring 115 by 90 meters is currently under construction, as well as an additional eight identical residential complexes measuring 65 by 40 meters, presumably for accommodating foreign presidents. The feasibility of their construction is unclear.

Pugus Country Residence

Moving on. The summer residence of Emomali Rahmon is considered to be Pugus. There, Rahmon hides from the scorching summer weather from late May to mid-September. The Pugus residence is located in the Varzob Gorge on the right bank of the Varzob River. The area of the residence is 180 hectares. Three buildings for holding large international conferences, as well as one hotel and at least ten residential complexes, have been built there.

Currently, construction is underway on a complex of buildings consisting of a nine-story house and a large structure of unusual shape adjacent to it, presumably a luxury entertainment complex. In 2018, Rahmon showed the model of the new buildings to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

It is also worth noting that Pugus is a favorite venue for family celebrations of the Emomali Rahmon family. For example, in 2010, the wedding of Rahmon’s eldest son, Rustam, was held there. A video recording of the celebration leaked to the press at that time.

Residence in Khorog

The next, more modest residence compared to the previous ones is located in Khorog. It is situated on the grounds of the city botanical garden at the confluence of the Shokhdara and Gunt rivers and occupies an area of about five hectares. It was built in 2010 and is used only during Emomali Rahmon’s visits to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. This residence offers wonderful views of the city of Khorog. The residence itself, measuring 55 by 45 meters, is designed in a traditional Eastern style. Nearby, there are helicopter pads.

Little-known Residences

Few in Tajikistan know that Emomali Rahmon has a number of secret residences. Their existence was previously reported by Tajik journalists who obtained documents from the president’s administration.

Secret Residence on the Bank of the Dushanbinka

The largest of them is located in Dushanbe, directly opposite the state residence “Palace of Nations” on the bank of the Dushanbinka River. A large Gissar canal flows through the territory of the residence, and its total area is just under 200 hectares. The territory of the residence includes three large buildings with a total area of about four thousand square meters. There is also a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a pond.

Presidential Dacha “Sayod” in Nurek

The presidential dacha “Sayod” is located near the Sanglok Observatory and the Russian military optical-electronic complex “Okno.” The uniqueness of this place is that it offers beautiful views of the Nurek Reservoir, but most importantly, a fantastic starry sky. The territory of the dacha is fenced, containing three large and six small buildings. All of them are made of wood. There are also two helicopter pads. How many times a year Emomali Rahmon visits this dacha is unknown to anyone.

Residences “Iskandarkul”

The next secret residence of Rahmon is located in the Ayni district on the shore of the high-altitude Iskandarkul Lake, right at the confluence of the Saritag River. Its area is 113 hectares. The building of the residence is hidden by dense trees, and there is a path leading to the pier. The territory has four helicopter pads.

Conclusion

As can be understood from all of the above, the president of Tajikistan has quite a few places for pleasant leisure. In terms of the number of residences and dachas, Emomali Rahmon can outdo most heads of state in the world. For example, by this measure, the leaders of the USA and Germany are considered quite deprived – they have two residences each, while the president of France has only three. Although, it would seem, these are not poor countries and could afford more. But there, all government expenditures are in the public eye, and for any misappropriation of funds, which can certainly include the construction and maintenance of such large and expensive residences, the president or prime minister would immediately lose their position and be held accountable.

In Tajikistan, however, no one knows how much money from the state budget Emomali Rahmon has spent and continues to spend on the construction of his residences. All such information is classified.