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The practice of purchasing official housing for government officials through state procurement in Kazakhstan consistently sparks public debate. Recent investigations by journalists have examined recent acquisitions in the Ulytau, Kyzylorda, and North Kazakhstan regions, scrutinizing whether the prices align with market rates.

Ulytau Region Housing Deals

In January 2026, the administrative department of the Ulytau regional akimat announced a tender to purchase five official apartments. A budget of 142.8 million tenge was allocated, equating to 28.5 million tenge per apartment. The specifications required these apartments to be located in Jezkazgan, built after 2025, and range from 58 to 65 square meters, including a balcony or loggia.

Only one bidder, an individual identified as A.M.K., participated in the tender. This individual purchased the five apartments for 1.4 million tenge less than the allocated budget. Notably, public procurement portal data indicates this individual previously served as the head of the economics and finance department in Satpayev city within the same region, prompting speculation about potential insider dealings.

Previously, the regional akimat had acquired three two-room apartments in Jezkazgan for 60 million tenge, with each purchased from different individuals for 19.8 million tenge. These were secondary market properties, built after 1971 and at least 44 square meters in area.

Additionally, the Jezkazgan city housing relations department purchased two three-room apartments. One was valued at 25 million tenge for an apartment between 56-58 square meters in a building constructed after 1983. The second, priced at 24.9 million tenge, was 59-61 square meters in a building constructed after 1979.

In April, the office of the Jezkazgan city akim initiated a tender to buy three-room apartments, each 68-70 square meters, for 28 million tenge. The buildings were required to be constructed after 1988, and the apartments needed to be newly renovated and unoccupied.

In total, the region has recently acquired 10 official apartments, with tenders for at least one more currently underway.

Jezkazgan Apartment Pricing Analysis

To assess the market alignment of these state-funded purchases, real estate sales websites in Jezkazgan were reviewed. Three to four-room apartments around 60 square meters, located in older buildings constructed between 1975 and 1987, were found to be listed from 16 to 18 million tenge. Apartments of at least 44 square meters, built after 1971, were available for 9 to 15 million tenge.

Properties built after 2025 were not yet listed. However, apartments in buildings constructed as recently as 2023 were available starting from 21.5 million tenge.

Housing Procurement in Other Regions

Kyzylorda Region

In late 2025, the akimat of the Akai rural district in the Kyzylorda region announced a tender to purchase official housing for 68.5 million tenge. The specifications called for a house built in 2024-2025, with a clean renovation, an area of 270-290 square meters, and a 10-are land plot.

A single bidder submitted a proposal matching the full amount. This price and size stand out significantly. An examination of other private homes in the Akai rural district revealed prices ranging from 2.5 to 25 million tenge. Larger homes matching the tender's scale were not readily found, though a 247-square-meter house with 12 ares of land was available for 25 million tenge, and a 217-square-meter house with 10 ares for 16 million tenge.

Petropavlovsk City

At the end of March, the construction, architecture, and urban planning department of the Petropavlovsk city akimat launched 11 tenders for apartments sized between 48-54 square meters. An additional three tenders were for apartments measuring 39-42 square meters.

The intended purpose for these apartments was not specified in any of the tenders. The technical specifications required apartments to be in buildings constructed after 2025, without a clean renovation. Prices for the 48-54 square meter apartments ranged from 19.6 to 20.8 million tenge, while the 39-42 square meter apartments were priced between 16.1 and 16.2 million tenge.

Currently, all these procurements are in the application submission phase. Market analysis in Petropavlovsk indicates that apartments of similar sizes, without renovations, typically start around 15.5 million tenge.

Historical Context and Oversight

In 2018, the purchase of a duplex and two four-room apartments for officials in Pavlodar for 50 million tenge and 39.5 and 39.1 million tenge respectively, caused significant public outcry. The then-city akim, Anuar Kumpekeyev, received a reprimand. Subsequently, the 50 million tenge apartment was exchanged for housing for orphans, enabling the acquisition of seven apartments.

This issue was discussed in Parliament and the government, with the then-Minister of Finance, Alikhan Smailov, emphasizing the need for transparency in such expenditures.

The procurement of housing for vulnerable social groups has also drawn attention. For instance, in early 2025, concerns were raised in the Almaty region about houses purchased for billions of tenge being found unsuitable, prompting investigations by the prosecutor's office and the akimat.

The acquisition of official residences for civil servants remains under constant scrutiny from the public, deputies, and high-level authorities. Ensuring transparency and justification in these processes is crucial. However, a closer look at the state procurement portal reveals persistent questions regarding the cost, specifications, and transparency of real estate acquired using budget funds.

The editorial team is prepared to publish comments from the akimats regarding these state procurements.

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