Daniyal Akhmetov

Daniyal Akhmetov

Daniyal Kenzhetayuly Akhmetov (Kazakh: Дaниал Кенжетaйұлы Ахметов) (born 15 June 1954 in Pavlodar, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union) has served as the Minister of Defense and General of the Army of Kazakhstan since Prime Minister Karim Massimov appointed him on 10 January 2007. He served as Prime Minister from 13 June 2003 to 9 January 2007. Critics refer to him as "The Terminator", a nickname he gained as Governor of Pavlodar Province, for his actions in suppressing supporters of Ghalymzhan Zhaqiyanov, the previous Governor. On 8 January 2007 he resigned. He did not say why, but President Nursultan Nazarbayev had criticized him in 2006 for overspending and other administrative errors. President Nazarbayev accepted his resignation, and immediately appointed him Acting Prime Minister.

He left office two days later when the new government took office, in which he became defense minister. He was dismissed in June 2009.