Kairat Mami elected speaker Kazakhstan's upper parliament house

ASTANA, April 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Kazakhstan's Senate, or upper
parliament house, on Friday elected Kairat Mami its speaker in a unanimous
vote.
Mami, the republic's former prosecutor general, was nominated by
President Nursultan Nazarbayev to succeed to Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, who
was appointed director general of the U.N. Geneva office.
"We have big plans, big goals and a lot of works ahead, that is why we
want to see promising people on such posts. We should elect a lawyer,"
Nazarbayev said at today's Senate session, presenting his nominee. "Mami
proved highly professional, honest and conscientious man on all his
previous posts. He enjoys authority among the country's judges and law
enforcers. Mami's candidature is the most optimal one to ensure efficient
works of the Senate," he added.
The post of Senate speaker is seen as second in the state power
hierarchy, since, under the current law, the Senate speaker takes over
presidential powers in case of early resignation of impeachment of the
latter.
Kairat Mami, 56, has been working in court bodies since 1981. In
September 2000, he was appointed chairman of the Supreme Court, and
Prosecutor General in April 2009. In 2007, he was decorated with the Peter
the Great Order for his great personal contribution to strengthening
cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia. He was rated as the most
competent politician of the country in the Politician of the Year rating
conducted by the KazRATING agency and Liter Media Company. He is married
with three children. His hobby is collecting old coins.