Who is running for president of Kyrgyzstan: what is known about the 11 contenders
The nomination phase for presidential contenders has concluded in Kyrgyzstan. According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission for Elections and Referendums, 11 individuals have submitted self-nomination applications. Among them are incumbent President Sadyr Japarov, former deputy Iskhak Masaliev, former head of the Financial Police Sыйmyk Zhapykeev, former CEC Chairman Mambetzhunus Abylov, and several other politicians and entrepreneurs.
The presidential election is scheduled for January 27, 2027. At the same time, submitting a nomination application does not yet guarantee participation in the vote: contenders must collect voter signatures, confirm their proficiency in the state language, and fulfill other legal requirements.
Economist.kg has gathered information on who intends to run for the highest state office, what the contenders did before the campaign started, and what political experience they have.
Sadyr Japarov: incumbent president runs for second term
Sadyr Japarov is the most prominent participant in the upcoming campaign. He has led the country since January 28, 2021. In the early election on January 10 of that year, Japarov received 79.2% of the vote.
Before his presidency, he served as a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh and was one of the supporters of the nationalization of the Kumtor deposit. In 2013, following protests in Karakol related to the mine's development, Japarov left Kyrgyzstan and spent several years abroad. In March 2017, he returned to the country and was detained at the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border. In August of that year, the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek sentenced him to 11 years and 6 months in prison in the case of taking a hostage during a rally in Karakol. Japarov did not admit guilt.
Until October 2020, he was imprisoned. Amid mass protests following the parliamentary elections, he was released by supporters. Afterwards, Japarov took the post of prime minister and then became acting president.
In August 2026, the politician announced his intention to run for a second term. In November, he submitted a self-nomination application to the CEC.
The possibility of Japarov's participation in the next election was previously confirmed by the Constitutional Court. The court clarified that the incumbent six-year term of the head of state, ending in 2027, counts as the first term under the 2021 Constitution.
Aleksandr Kanunnikov
Aimen Kasenov: former head of Gazprom structures and participant in 2021 election
Aimen Kasenov was born on April 11, 1974, in Bishkek. He holds degrees in economics and law, as well as training in corporate and strategic management.
His career is primarily linked to the oil and gas sector and the management of commercial entities. In 1996–2001, Kasenov worked as a logistics manager at the NEFKO oil company. Later, he headed cluster liquefied gas bases for the Transgazoyl company, served as deputy general director of Manas International Service, and was an advisor-partner at the Moscow-based company Marka-Audit.
In 2007, he moved to the Gazprom Neft system. He initially served as deputy general director of Gazpromneft-Tajikistan, and then, from August 2007 to November 2015, he headed Gazpromneft-Kazakhstan.
In 2015–2016, Kasenov worked as an advisor to the mayor of Bishkek, and later joined the board of the Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund. In 2021, he supported the Reforma party in the Bishkek City Kenesh elections.
The 2027 presidential campaign will be Kasenov's second attempt to take the highest state office. In the early election on January 10, 2021, he ran as a self-nominee and received 12,684 votes, or 0.91% of the voting electorate.
In the current campaign, Kasenov was the first to submit an application to the CEC on October 14.
Azamat Esenbekov: official with experience in the Ministry of Finance and government apparatus
Azamat Esenbekov was born on June 4, 1984. In 2005, he graduated from Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University with a degree in Finance and Credit. In 2014, he obtained a degree in World Economy from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow. He also studied at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kyrgyzstan in Public and Municipal Administration. He holds a PhD in Economics.
He began his career in 2005 as an intern at the Tax Inspectorate of the Leninsky district of Bishkek. In 2006–2007, he worked in the Financial Intelligence Service of Kyrgyzstan, which monitored anti-money laundering efforts.
Later, he held positions in the Social Fund, worked as an assistant to the Minister of Finance, and in 2009–2011 headed the capital investments financing department in the central apparatus of the Ministry of Finance.
In 2014–2015, he was an expert in the social development department of the Government Apparatus. Since 2015, he held positions in divisions responsible for financial and credit policy, as well as foreign aid coordination.
In 2018–2019, Esenbekov headed the Moscow district of the Chui region as akim. Later, he worked as a leading specialist in fiscalization and product labeling at Alpha Telecom CJSC.
He already attempted to participate in the 2021 presidential race. In November 2020, Esenbekov submitted a self-nomination application, but on December 3, he withdrew his documents and terminated his participation in the campaign.
This time, he applied to the CEC on October 27.
Siymyk Zhapykeev: former head of the Financial Police and participant in the Chong Kazat movement
Siymyk Zhapykeev was born in 1977 in Balykchy. In 2000, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University.
Most of his career was spent in the prosecutor's office. He started as an intern investigator at the Tyup district prosecutor's office, later working in the prosecutor's offices of Ak-Suu, Balykchy, and Ysyk-Ata districts. In 2007–2009, he served as deputy prosecutor of Kemin district.
In 2015–2018, Zhapykeev worked as a contract lawyer-advocate at Kumtor Gold Company CJSC. Also in 2017–2020, he was vice president of the public association Chess Federation of Kyrgyzstan.
He gained widespread fame in 2020 due to public statements about corruption. Zhapykeev became one of the leaders of the Chong Kazat movement, which subsequently transformed into a political party and participated in the parliamentary elections on October 4, 2020.
Following the October events of 2020, Zhapykeev headed the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes — the Financial Police. He led the agency from October 17, 2020, to March 5, 2021.
From March 30 to April 28, 2021, he held the post of prosecutor of the Issyk-Kul region, but left the position following public criticism from President Sadyr Japarov. Since October 2022, he has been a member of the public committee for the defense of Kempir-Abad.
Zhapykeev holds the rank of 2nd class counselor of justice and the military rank of lieutenant colonel. In March 2021, he was awarded the rank of major general of the Financial Police.
He submitted his self-nomination application for the presidential election on October 28.
Akay Kydyrov: entrepreneur with work experience in Japan
Akay Kydyrov was born on November 16, 1991. In 2013, he graduated from the International University of Kyrgyzstan with a degree in Diplomatic and Consular Service, and subsequently earned a master's degree from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan.
From 2015 to 2021, he managed three Japanese companies in the cities of Yokohama and Nagoya. Since 2018, he has been the founder and head of an international logistics company.
Kydyrov announced his intention to run in the presidential election on October 24, 2026. Before submitting his application, he passed a test on his proficiency in the state language.
The entrepreneur already tried his hand at politics in 2025. He ran for deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh in electoral district No. 19. The CEC registered him as a candidate on November 7, but following the vote he received 275 votes, or 0.65%, and failed to enter parliament.
Kydyrov submitted his nomination application for the presidency on November 4.
Iskhak Masaliev: long-term experience in JK and leadership of the STS
Iskhak Masaliev was born on May 21, 1960, in Osh. In 1982, he graduated from the Faculty of History of the Kyrgyz State University, and in 1994 he earned a law degree.
He began his career as a teacher. In 1989–1993, he served in internal affairs bodies, after which he worked in tax and customs structures.
In 2000, Masaliev became a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh for the first time. He was elected to parliament in the II, III, IV, VI, and VII convocations. In 2012–2014, he headed the State Tax Service of Kyrgyzstan.
He also served as chairman of the Central Committee of the Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan and led the Butun Kyrgyzstan parliamentary faction. Masaliev is the son of the former first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Kirghiz SSR, Absamat Masaliev.
In October 2026, the politician passed a test on his knowledge of the state language. According to him, he scored 76 points each in the "Vocabulary and Grammar" and "Reading" sections.
On November 6, Masaliev submitted a self-nomination application for the presidency.
Baktybek Kalmamatov: deputy of the V convocation of the JK and participant in the 2021 presidential election
Baktybek Kalmamatov was a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh of the V convocation in 2010–2015. In parliament, he served as deputy chairman of the committee on youth policy, development of physical culture and sports, and later of the committee on rule of law, crime combat, and anti-corruption.
This is not Kalmamatov's first presidential campaign. In 2020, he already ran in the early presidential election as a self-nominee. The CEC registered him as a candidate on December 12, 2020.
In the January 10, 2021 election, Kalmamatov received 6,893 votes, or 0.49%, taking 13th place.
Later, he participated in the 2021 parliamentary elections as part of the Azatlyk party.
Kalmamatov submitted his application for nomination to the presidency in the current campaign on November 11.
Bakytbek Adylov: former mayor of Jalal-Abad and head of the migration service
Bakytbek Adylov has experience working in municipal and state structures. In 2011–2012, he served as mayor of Jalal-Abad, which is now named Manas.
In 2016, Adylov headed the State Migration Service under the Government of Kyrgyzstan. In 2020, he ran for the Jogorku Kenesh on the party list of Mekenim Kyrgyzstan.
On November 11, Adylov submitted an application to the CEC to nominate his candidacy via self-nomination. He became the eighth contender to officially apply to the Central Election Commission.
Aiba Amur: biographical information is scarce so far
Aiba Amur submitted a nomination application on November 11. In official documents, his full name is listed as Amur Aiba Meder.
Open sources currently contain little information about his education, professional career, and public activities.
Legal entity registries contain information about a person with the same full name listed as the head of the companies BOyl and Zheti Zhyldyz. However, the coincidence of the name does not allow for a reliable determination that this is indeed the presidential contender. Therefore, when describing his biography, this information cannot be considered confirmed.
Aiba Amur became the ninth person to submit an application to the CEC.
Mambetzhunus Abylov: former head of the CEC, minister, and ambassador
Mambetzhunus Abylov has years of experience in state and diplomatic positions.
In 1991–1995, he headed the state concern Kyrgyzurulush. In 1995–1996, he was chairman of the Central Election Commission, and in 1996–1998, he held the post of Minister of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of Kyrgyzstan. From 1998 to 2003, Abylov served as the republic's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Malaysia. In 2005–2009, he represented Kyrgyzstan in Turkey.
In 2022, he joined the public committee for the defense of Kempir-Abad. On October 27 of that year, Abylov was detained in Bishkek in the case regarding the preparation of mass riots.
In June 2024, the court acquitted him and other defendants in the case. In March 2026, the Bishkek City Court upheld the acquittal.
Abylov submitted his self-nomination application on November 12 and became the tenth contender for the presidency.
Klara Sooronkulova: former judge of the Constitutional Chamber and leader of Reforma
Klara Sooronkulova is a lawyer and public figure who previously worked in the judicial system and electoral bodies.
In 2010–2011, she was a member of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums. From 2011 to 2015, she was a judge of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan. In 2020, Sooronkulova headed the Reforma political party. In the 2021 presidential election, she participated as a candidate from this political organization.
On January 10, 2021, Sooronkulova received 14,005 votes, or 1% of the electorate that participated in the vote. This was the seventh result among the candidates.
On November 12, 2026, she submitted a self-nomination application to the CEC and became the 11th contender to participate in the upcoming election.
What comes next
The conclusion of the nomination phase does not mean that all 11 individuals will automatically make it onto the ballot paper. Now the contenders must fulfill the registration requirements.
To participate in the presidential election, each candidate must collect at least 30,000 voter signatures, confirm proficiency in the state language, and pay an election deposit of 1 million som.
The collection of electronic signatures will run until December 7, 2026. Documents for registration are accepted until December 13, and the CEC must complete the registration of candidates no later than December 23.
Pre-election campaigning will begin after the registration of participants and will run until 08:00 on January 26, 2027. The vote itself will take place on January 27.
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Aziza Kapar kyzy
Ivan Donis
