Tajikistan leader's son named senate speaker

FILE PHOTO: Rustam Emomali, eldest son of Tajikstan's President Emomali Rahmon, attends an ordinary conference of Tajikistan's soccer federation in Dushanbe January 5, 2012. Emomali was elected as the president of Tajikistan's soccer federation. REUTERS/Nozim Kalandarov

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - The eldest son of Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon was elected as speaker in the senate on Friday, cementing the family's grip on power in the Central Asian nation ahead of a presidential election.

Rustam Emomali, 32, who also serves as mayor of the capital Dushanbe, was elected speaker of the upper house of parliament unanimously, the senate press office said.