Former mayor of Dushanbe, Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, has laid down his mandate of member of the Dushanbe legislature (Majlis).  An election to replace him is scheduled for April 2.

Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, who was relieved of his post of Mayor of Dushanbe on January 12, has laid down his mandate of member of the Dushanbe legislature at the extraordinary ninth session of the Dushanbe legislature.

Former head of Ubaidulloyev’s office, Firouz Ulmasov, has also laid down his mandate of member of the Dushanbe Majlis, according to the Dushanbe administration press center.

The session reportedly made decision to hold elections to replace Ubaidulloyev and Ulmasov on April 2 this year.  

Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, 64, was mayor of Dushanbe for 19 years.  By president’s decree of January 12 Ubaidulloyev was replaced by President Emomali Rahmon's son, Rustam Emomali. 

Recall, the operations of former Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev's office are currently being examined by investigators.

The deputy chief of Tajikistan's anticorruption agency, Iliyos Idriszoda, told reporters in Dushanbe on January 27 that a preliminary investigation has been launched into possible embezzlement of state funds by staff members during Ubaidulloyev's tenure as mayor of the capital.

According to Idriszoda, the investigation has launched after the agency received complaints from several Dushanbe residents who suspected that state funds allocated for the construction of apartment blocks were misused.

He said that the new mayor, Rustam Emomali, had also asked the agency to look into the situation.