Kazakhstan Local Politics - The Times Of Central Asia

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Corruption

Kazakhstan Detains Heads of Samruk-Kazyna and National Railways in Corruption Probe

Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) has confirmed the detention of the heads of the state-owned Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund and the national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ). Nurlan Zhakupov and Yelzhas Otynshiyev are suspected of involvement in a corruption-related offense. Both organizations play a central role in Kazakhstan's economy: the fund manages some of the country's largest state-owned assets, while KTZ operates its railway network, including freight transit between China and Europe. According to the KNB, which announced the detentions on November 12, the two executives were taken into custody the previous day during an operation conducted by the KNB's Anti-Corruption Service. Other individuals were also detained. The agency said investigative procedures were underway but declined to disclose details of the alleged offense, citing Article 201 of Kazakhstan's Criminal Procedure Code, which restricts the disclosure of information from pretrial investigations. The KNB said its anti-corruption efforts were continuing in accordance with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s instructions and the government’s “Law and Order” principle. Nurlan Zhakupov had headed Samruk-Kazyna since April 2023. The sovereign wealth fund holds assets in the oil and gas, energy, transportation, and telecommunications sectors. Its portfolio includes the national oil and gas company KazMunayGas, uranium producer Kazatomprom, KTZ, and other major Kazakh enterprises. In March 2025, Zhakupov briefed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the fund's investment portfolio, which comprised 130 projects worth more than $100 billion. Yelzhas Otynshiyev became head of KTZ on July 20, 2026. He previously held senior positions at Samruk-Kazyna, overseeing strategy and asset management. The fund is the railway company's sole shareholder. KTZ manages Kazakhstan's mainline railway network and is involved in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the Middle Corridor. The route connects China with European markets through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, allowing freight to bypass Russia. The company is also preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), which would open it to private investors. Otynshiyev's detention coincided with the introduction of new Stadler passenger railcars into service. On November 11, the first train equipped with the new cars departed Astana for Almaty after repeated launch delays. The operator received the first 51 cars in December 2025, but technical issues, including concerns about the braking system, delayed their entry into service. According to KTZ, Stadler Kazakhstan will compensate the railway company for additional costs arising from the delay. The contract calls for the delivery of 557 railcars by 2030. The next service using the new cars is scheduled for November 13 on the Astana–Semey route. Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov had previously criticized Samruk-Kazyna's management on November 4 for delays in implementing investment projects. However, the KNB has not suggested that either the investment-project delays or the Stadler contract is connected to the investigation. As of November 12, law enforcement authorities had not disclosed the specific nature of the alleged corruption offense or announced formal charges against Zhakupov and Otynshiyev. Their detention does not constitute a finding of guilt. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that,...

Public Transport

Opinion: Overcrowding on Almaty Buses – A Man-Made Transit Crisis

The Kazakh authorities' grand plans to turn Almaty and its picturesque surroundings into Central Asia's next tourist mecca have run headlong into a public transportation crisis this fall. Almaty residents have been flooding social media with photos and videos of overcrowded buses and trolleybuses, saying they have not seen anything like this since the 1990s. But a closer look at the problem suggests that the current chaos is largely man-made. Almaty is a university city, so residents have long been accustomed to several months of crowded conditions each year. Public spaces, inexpensive cafés, and public transportation all become noticeably busier. For years, however, people in Almaty have generally avoided blaming newcomers for the city's infrastructure problems, preferring to put up with the inconvenience. This year, though, that tolerance has been put to a serious test. By October, residents had realized that ignoring the elephant in the room was becoming increasingly absurd. Journalists began picking up complaints from social media and amplifying residents' grievances. One of the most widely circulated images in mid-October showed a young woman's leg trapped in a bus door as she tried to squeeze aboard. City officials responded like firefighters trying to contain a blaze of public outrage. They blamed traffic congestion for throwing buses off schedule and acted as though the problem was limited to just one or two routes. Roadwork commissioned by the Almaty authorities themselves has added to the disruption. Officials have also pointed to fare evasion, claiming that more than 30% of passengers during rush hour were not paying their fares. [caption id="attachment_60039" align="aligncenter" width="1816"] Buses are often full to capacity.[/caption] "Fare payments are also used to calculate how many buses are needed on a route. Currently, 3,238 public transportation vehicles operate in Almaty every day," Almaty's Department of Road Traffic and Public Transport Management explained. On November 5, officials insisted that the number of buses in service had not fallen, although they acknowledged cutting the number of journeys by 20–30% during off-peak hours. They again blamed traffic congestion and claimed that more than 40% of passengers were not paying their fares. These explanations failed to satisfy Almaty residents who regularly pay their fares. They had already uncovered a document that had previously escaped public attention. It turned out to be the city's public transportation tariff commission minutes, published on the department's website. They record meetings through August 7, 2026, and the commission's approval of reductions in planned bus deployments and journeys across city routes "in accordance with consultants' recommendations." "The reductions were made in accordance with international practices. The number of vehicles deployed on city routes was reduced by up to 20% on weekdays, 10% on Saturdays, 25% on Sundays, and 35% on public holidays. The number of round trips on city routes was reduced by 10–20% on weekdays, 5–10% on Saturdays, 12.5–25% on Sundays, and 17.5–35% on public holidays," the document states. As if that were not enough, another revealing document surfaced: an October 22, 2026, publication by the Committee of...

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced his transport minister and given the incoming officeholder the rank of deputy prime minister. The November 3 appointment puts Asel Zhanassova in charge of the ministry as Kazakhstan prepares a major infrastructure expansion. Zhanassova, previously deputy head of the Presidential Administration, succeeds Nurlan Sauranbayev. Her appointment decree formally combines the positions of deputy prime minister and transport minister, raising the portfolio’s standing within the government. Zhanassova becomes one of six deputy prime ministers, including First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlybek Nalibayev. The change comes less than a week after Tokayev announced plans to accelerate construction and expand freight routes linking China and Europe. Several major transport projects face deadlines in 2027, giving the new minister an immediate delivery agenda. Akorda gave no reason for Sauranbayev’s dismissal and announced no new appointment for him. His departure came six days after Tokayev criticized road quality and officials passing responsibility between central and local government. A New Minister with a Digital Background Zhanassova brings experience in digital technology and the management of Kazakhstan’s national postal operator. Born in Almaty in 1987, she graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2010 with a computer science degree. She studied under Kazakhstan’s Bolashak scholarship program. According to her published biography, her early career included technology and cybersecurity positions at an international company in London. She subsequently worked at Kazakhstan’s central bank and headed the state technology holding Zerde. She later held senior digital roles at the Astana International Financial Centre before becoming vice minister of trade and integration. From 2022 to 2025, she chaired Kazpost, a position that gave her experience managing a nationwide delivery network. Zhanassova became an adviser to Tokayev in June 2025 and deputy head of the Presidential Administration in December of that year. Her latest promotion moves her into a cabinet role combining transport management with deputy prime minister responsibilities. Sauranbayev had been appointed transport minister on June 30, 2025. His departure marks another leadership change in a ministry already subject to presidential scrutiny. His predecessor, Marat Karabayev, was dismissed in June 2025, following criticism of transport infrastructure and delays affecting transit development. An Extensive Construction Agenda In his October 28 State of the Nation Address, Tokayev outlined plans to allocate 6.5 trillion tenge, approximately $14.3 billion, from the National Fund to infrastructure by 2029. He also proposed designating 2027 as a year of large-scale construction. Transport forms a substantial part of that agenda. The 272-kilometer Bakhty–Ayagoz railway is scheduled to open in 2027, adding a border crossing with China. The project is expected to increase annual rail freight capacity between the two countries by 20 million metric tons. The Aral–Caspian Highway is another major undertaking. The approximately 800-kilometer route will connect Beineu in western Kazakhstan with Saksaulsk, near the Aral Sea. Construction began in August, with Tokayev saying the highway would shorten the freight route between China and Europe by approximately 1,000 kilometers and cut delivery times by three days. The government’s summary of the address...

State of the Nation

Tokayev Unveils $14 Billion Construction Plan in Kazakhstan State of the Nation Address

Kazakhstan plans to spend 6.5 trillion tenge (about $14.3 billion) from its National Fund on infrastructure projects by 2029 and eliminate its electricity shortage in the same period, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced in his annual State of the Nation Address on October 28. The president also outlined plans to accelerate nuclear power plant construction, expand transport routes between China and Europe, and establish a separate court for investors in the new city of Alatau. $14 Billion for Infrastructure Tokayev proposed declaring 2027 a year of large-scale construction and launching a nationwide program covering roads, airports, railway stations, and public facilities. The government is expected to allocate approximately 6.5 trillion tenge from the National Fund by the end of 2029, including 1.5 trillion tenge ($3.3 billion) for social projects in the remaining months of 2026 and the first two months of 2027. The program envisages building around 70 healthcare facilities and approximately 50 education, sports, and cultural facilities. Plans also include extending gas supplies and clean drinking water to underserved communities. Tokayev said public funding should help attract private investment rather than finance the entire program. The spending plans raise questions about the use of Kazakhstan's accumulated oil revenues. The National Fund was established in part to protect the economy from fluctuations in commodity prices, but its resources are regularly used to meet budgetary needs. Tokayev said Kazakhstan must balance preserving financial reserves for future generations with investing in modern infrastructure. He argued that public spending should deliver economic and social returns. Kazakhstan Aims to Eliminate Electricity Deficit Tokayev acknowledged that Kazakhstan's electricity production is insufficient to meet the needs of its growing economy, particularly as the country seeks to expand industry and build data centers. According to the national grid operator KEGOC, Kazakhstan generated 123.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2025, while consuming 124.6 billion. The shortfall of approximately 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours was covered by net imports. The president set a target of achieving a sustained surplus of electricity production over domestic consumption by 2029. Tokayev criticized the longstanding practice of purchasing expensive electricity from neighboring countries during winter peaks in demand and subsequently returning electricity in summer at substantially lower prices. "That's quite a simple little 'business,' and it's been going on for decades," Tokayev remarked. He also pointed to delays in bringing new generating capacity online in Turkestan, Kyzylorda, Almaty, and Ekibastuz, as well as a shortage of qualified energy specialists. To meet the 2029 target, Kazakhstan will need to build new power stations and modernize existing facilities. Tokayev called for further development of coal-fired generation alongside renewable energy, particularly solar power. Nuclear Power Plans Tokayev said construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant could begin in 2027. He also proposed accelerating preparations for an agreement on the Moyynkum nuclear power plant. Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom is leading the Balkhash project, while China National Nuclear Corporation has been selected as the main contractor for the second plant. However, the first reactor at Balkhash is not expected to...

Republic Day

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

Kazakhstan marked Republic Day on October 25 with a flag-raising ceremony in Astana and congratulations from its international partners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the occasion to describe bilateral relations as the “strongest” in their history. “Our countries are working together to strengthen regional security, expand economic cooperation, and create new commercial opportunities which will pair Kazakh ambition with American innovation to benefit both of our nations,” Rubio said in his October 24 statement. He praised Kazakhstan’s diplomatic role and support for President Donald Trump’s “peace initiatives,” and said the U.S. looks forward to further cooperation in the year ahead, both bilaterally and through the C5+1 framework, which brings together the United States and the five Central Asian countries. Trump sent a separate message to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to Akorda’s account, he welcomed the enhanced strategic partnership and said he wanted to continue developing his relationship with the Kazakh leader. Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Tokayev, describing bilateral relations as developing “in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance.” He pledged to strengthen cooperation and linked closer ties to security and stability across Eurasia. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his readiness to deepen cooperation, while praising Kazakhstan’s development. The presidents of the other four Central Asian countries also sent congratulations. King Charles III of Great Britain conveyed his wishes to Tokayev and the Kazakh people, highlighting the friendship between the two countries. French President Emmanuel Macron pointed to growing cooperation ahead of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also among those who sent messages. [caption id="attachment_59283" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: Akorda.kz[/caption] In Kazakhstan, Tokayev attended the national flag-raising ceremony outside the Akorda presidential residence. The honor guard commander reported to the president before the flag was raised and the national anthem played. The presidency announced similar ceremonies across the country’s regions. In his Republic Day message, Tokayev described Kazakhstan as a respected and influential middle power. He emphasized continued political and economic reforms, technological modernization, and the expanding use of artificial intelligence, while calling for national unity. In Almaty, more than 1,500 people gathered near the Medeu mountain skating rink for a flag-raising ceremony. A military brass band played the national anthem as the flag rose on a 40-meter pole. The city also marked Republic Day with a festive concert at the Republic Palace. [caption id="attachment_59286" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: Almaty Akimat[/caption] Republic Day commemorates the Declaration of State Sovereignty, adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR on October 25, 1990. The declaration affirmed territorial integrity and established the political and legal foundations for the country’s future independence. Kazakhstan remained within the Soviet Union at that point. It formally declared independence on December 16, 1991, becoming the last Soviet republic to do so. This year’s Republic Day therefore marks 36 years since the sovereignty declaration, ahead of the 35th anniversary of independence in December. The holiday itself has undergone several changes. Republic Day was removed from the public holiday calendar in...

Public Service

Opinion: I Spent 15 Years in Government. Here Is What the State Can Learn Next

Zhandos Sabit spent more than 15 years in Kazakhstan’s public service, including the Ministry of National Economy, a regional akimat, and the Prosecutor General’s Office. He now works in the private sector. In March 2014, I went to a meeting in Astana on the development of the machine-building industry. It was held at the then Ministry of Industry and New Technologies. Officials from central and local bodies came, along with the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and several business owners. I was there as a representative of a state body. When the entrepreneurs began to talk about problems in the industry that we had never heard of, and about how to solve them, I was surprised. They were asking how to increase local content. We were asking whether a proposal complied with current legislation. It turned out that we civil servants knew the resolutions and laws of the sector, and not much beyond that. We sat at one table and spoke about different things. I have seen the same in other sectors since. My former colleagues may take offense, but I will say what I think: many civil servants, myself included in those years, were lawyers and bureaucrats first. That is how the system trains us. Faced with a problem, the first question is whether an idea contradicts the law, and only rarely whether the idea works. Nobody can be blamed for this, because the rules are what an official is held responsible for. It does mean that civil servants should lean on people who know a sector from the inside and take their suggestions seriously. I saw another side of this when I worked in a regional akimat. We prepared a road map for developing the communications sector in the region and agreed it with the central body. Wherever an item needed a decision from the center or money from the republican budget, the central body either struck it out or rewrote it as “study the issue”, with “provide information” as the expected result. I understand why: the center answers for the budget and for every precedent it sets. But how long can an issue be studied? Colleagues in the region put it bluntly: go and fight for the money from the republican budget yourselves. An idea can sit for years between two levels of government, and nobody has done anything wrong. Kazakhstan’s “Listening State” concept raises a question: what happens to what the state hears? I spent more than 15 years in public service, and my proposal comes from that work. Kazakhstan already has channels for individual appeals, and eOtinish is one of them. They are there to answer a person. My proposal is the next step: a platform for solving problems that keep coming back. Its unit would be a problem together with a proposed solution, not a letter. Appeals, petitions, input from business associations, and regional statistics are kept in separate places today, and an AI-assisted system could read them together. If dozens of complaints about delayed...