DUSHANBE, December 2, 2013, Asia-Plus – Many experts believe that President Emomali Rahmon is grooming his son Rustam Emomali to be his successor.

President Rahmon has appointed Rustam Emomali, 26, to head the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan.

Local experts consider that by appointing his son to this high post President Rahmon is grooming him to be his successor.

Tajik journalist Nourali Davlat recently told Asia-Plus in an interview that children and immediate relatives of Emomali Rahmon may appear in a reshaped government.

“When Rahmon came to power in 1992, a broad coalition, comprising representatives of Sughd, Kulob, and a number of districts of Hisor Valley was supporting him.  But after each new election, this coalition was getting narrow and it now consists mainly of his relatives and representatives of Kulob region, mainly townspeople from Danghara, a native area of Emomali Rahmon,” Nourali Davlat told Asia-Plus in an interview.  “If this trend remains intact, we will see mainly his children and immediate relatives in the new cabinet.”