Kazakhstan's slow-burning government reform of a niche market for car fuels brutally backfired this week, triggering the biggest public protests in years as demonstrators accused authorities of stealing from the poor.
The protests were sparked by a fuel market reform first broached in 2015 that came into effect at the start of the month that sought to remove state price caps for butane and propane - often referred to as 'road fuels for the poor' due to their low cost - while making sure the local market was well supplied.
When prices were fully liberalised on Jan. 1 the government expectations were that supplies to the domestic market would rise and help address the chronic shortages.Regions such as oil-rich Mangistau, where protests started, rely on butane and propane for refuelling as many as 90 per cent of vehicles.