Kazakhstan’s president has abruptly announced his resignation after 29 years on the job

Nursultan Nazarbayev has led the Central Asian country since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

n a televised address, the 78-year old explained that he had made a difficult decision, but didn’t give a reason for the move.

While under Nazarbayev the country has prospered, critics say it has come at a cost.