ASTANA (Reuters): Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named his chief of staff, Olzhas Bektenov, prime minister on Tuesday, quickly securing approval from parliament which is dominated by the ruling Amanat party.
Bektenov, 43, had served as the head of the state anti-corruption agency before becoming the head of the presidential administration in April 2023.
His predecessor, Alikhan Smailov, resigned on Monday without citing any particular reason for the move. Such reshuffles, however, are routine in the oil-rich nation where political power is concentrated in the hands of the president.
