Rustam Emomali
Rustam Emomali (; born 19 December 1987) is a Tajik politician who is the current Chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan, Mayor of Dushanbe and the eldest son of Emomali Rahmon, the long-standing authoritarian leader of Tajikistan. Emomali's father appointed Emomali as the mayor of Dushanbe when he was 29-years-old. Rustam Emomali is believed to be prepared by his father to succeed him as the leader of Tajikistan; he holds the title of the constitutionally designated successor to the presidency. He heads the anti-corruption agency in Tajikistan and the state's financial oversight agency. Despite not having served in the armed forces, he holds the rank of major general. Early life and football career Rustam Emomali was born as Rustam Emomalievich Rahmonov (Tajik: Рустам Эмомалиевич Раҳмонов; ) in the district of Danghara, Kulob oblast (present-day Khatlon province) in Tajikistan, to parents Emomali Rahmon and Azizmo Asadullayeva. He graduated from the Tajik State National University with a specialist's degree in International Economic Relations and took courses with the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2007, following his father's suit, he dropped the Russian-style patronymic and last name, adopting his father's first name, Emomali, as his new surname.