Kazakhstan's new cabinet keeps 15 of 19 ministers, pension and tax changes proposed

September 5, 2026 at 10:49 AM2 min

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Kazakhstan's new cabinet retained 15 of 19 ministers after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev approved the lineup on September 3. The draft 2027-2029 budget proposes raising the minimum pension to 74,919 tenge and the monthly calculation index to 4,693 tenge from January 1, 2027. The reshuffle is seen as a targeted adjustment rather than a change of economic course.

Key Facts

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev approved the new cabinet on September 3, retaining 15 of 19 ministers.
The draft 2027-2029 budget proposes raising the minimum state basic pension to 38,622 tenge from 35,596 tenge in 2026.
The monthly calculation index (MCI) is proposed to increase by 8.5% to 4,693 tenge from January 1, 2027.
The minimum wage remains at 85,000 tenge in the draft budget.
The subsistence minimum for calculating basic social benefits will rise from 50,851 to 55,173 tenge.

Cabinet Reshuffle

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reappointed Olzhas Bektenov as prime minister on August 31 and approved the main cabinet lineup on September 3. Only four of 19 ministerial heads were replaced: foreign affairs, emergency situations, ecology and natural resources, and culture and information. New ministers are Mukhtar Tleuberdi (foreign affairs), Murat Mukhanov (emergencies), Alibek Kuantyrov (ecology), and Arman Kyrykbayev (culture and information). Political analyst Daniyar Ashimbayev noted that the only truly new figure is Murat Mukhanov, who headed the emergencies ministry apparatus in June and leapfrogged four deputy ministers. Tokayev tasked the updated government with ensuring sustainable economic growth, improving public administration efficiency, and enhancing citizens' welfare.

2027-2029 Budget Parameters

The draft republican budget for 2027-2029 was published on the Open NPA portal, with public discussion running until September 5. The budget is calculated based on an oil price of $70 per barrel and an exchange rate of 480 tenge per dollar. From January 1, 2027, the minimum wage remains at 85,000 tenge, while the monthly calculation index (MCI) is proposed to rise from 4,325 to 4,693 tenge, an increase of 8.5%. The minimum state basic pension payment will be 38,622 tenge, up from 35,596 tenge in 2026, and the minimum pension will be 74,919 tenge, up from 69,049 tenge. Pension payments by age and length of service are proposed to increase by 8.5% from January 1, 2027, and the subsistence minimum for calculating basic social benefits will rise from 50,851 to 55,173 tenge.