On Monday, he was in jail serving 11 years for hostage-taking. Yesterday, he was sworn in as prime minister.
Such is the dizzying turn of events in Kyrgyzstan where a lightning popular uprising has toppled the government and already installed a new one.
For no one has the turnaround been more remarkable than Sadyr Zhaparov, 51, who started the week behind bars and is now preparing to take up the reins of power in the former Soviet state in central Asia.
One person died and more than 700 were injured on Monday during clashes with security forces after disputed parliamentary elections in which there were big wins for parties loyal to the pro-Russian president SooronbayJeenbekov.
Protesters stormed parliament, seized the offices of state television
