Early life and career

Kusherbayev was born in the city of Kazalinsk (present-day Kazaly) in the Kyzylorda Region. His father Eleu Kusherbayev was also an eminent politician of the Kyzylorda Region and was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of several districts, such as Karmakshy and Kazaly. His grandfather Kosherbay Daribayev was the Hero of Socialist Labour. In 1978, Kusherbayev graduated from Satbayev University as a specialist in civil engineering.^[1]

After graduating, Kusherbayev was an engineer and the chief of group of preparation of production PMK-112 "Glavrissovkhozstroy" in Kyzylorda. From 1979 to 1988, he held several positions at Komsomol of the Kyzyloda Region and Central Committee of the Komsomol in the Kazakh SSR.^[1]

Kusherbayev attended the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union from 1988 to 1991, where he earned specialty in political science. That same year, he served as the assistant of Speechwriting Office on Culture and the International Relations of the Administration of President of Kazakh SSR.^[1]

From 1991 to 1994, Kusherbayev was the assistant of the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. In 1994, he became the head of the Kalinin District of Almaty. In 1995, Kusherbayev was appointed as the deputy of the Head of Administration of Department of Internal Policy of the Administration. That same year, he became the deputy of the Administration Head of Department of Territorial Development. From 1996 to 1997, Kusherbayev served as the Press Secretary and the Manager of the Press Service of the President.^[1]

Political career

In October 1997, he was appointed as the Minister of Health, Education and Sports and served that position until the ministry was reorganized into the Ministry of Education and Science where Kusherbayev led until he became the akim of West Kazakhstan Region on 18 December 2000.^[2][1] In November 2003, he became an ambassador to Russia, along with Finland and Armenia.^[3]

On 24 January 2006, Kusherbayev was appointed as the akim of Mangystau Region.^[4] Following the Zhanaozen massacre where 14 oil workers in the city square were killed by police on 16 December 2011, during the Independence Day celebration, Kusherbayev stated "Let the journalists see with their own eyes what the criminals have done. They have already crossed the line, blood has been shed, human casualties have appeared. Now they have to answer to the fullest before the law."^[5][6] Shortly after the tragic event, on 22 December 2011, Kusherbayev was dismissed from his post by President Nursultan Nazarbayev and was succeeded by a Senator and Former Minister of Internal Affairs Bauyrzhan Mukhamedzhanov.^[7][8]

On 13 July 2012, he became an adviser to the President of Kazakhstan and served the office until 26 September 2012, when Kusherbayev was appointed as the First Deputy Prime Minister under Akhmetov's government.^[9][10] He was shortly replaced by Bakhytzhan Sagintayev on 16 January 2013.^[11] The following day, on 17 January 2013, Kusherbayev was appointed as the akim of Kyzylorda Region.^[12]

On 28 June 2019, Kusherbayev was appointed as the head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.^[13][14] He served that position until he became the State Secretary of Kazakhstan on 18 September 2019.^[15][16] On January 5, 2022, he was relieved of his post as Secretary of State.^[17]

In November 2022, Kusherbayev, by decision of the board of "KazMunayGas", was elected a member of the Board of Directors of "Embamunaigas" JSC.^[18]