Abish Kekilbayev was born on December 6, 1939.
In 1962 Abish Kekilbayev graduated from philological faculty of the S.M. Kirov Kazakh State University. In the Soviet period worked as the deputy minister of culture of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, the second secretary of board of the Union of writers, the head of department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the editor-in-chief of the Yegemen Kazakhstan newspaper, the literary employee of the Kazakh adebiety newspaper, the head of literature and art department of the Leninshyl zhas newspaper editorial office. Abish Kekilbayev was elected the deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the twelfth and thirteenth convocations, the chairman of Committee on national policy, cultural development and language of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since April 1994 till May, 1995 - a Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the thirteenth convocation.
Since May, 1995 worked as the State Councillor of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In December, 1995 he was elected the deputy of Mazhilis of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the chairman of Committee on the international affairs, defense of Mazhilis of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since October 1996 till January, 2002 - a Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the counsellor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2002 Abish Kekilbayev was appointed the deputy of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A member of National Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan. A member of the Organization of the Central Asian states. A member of group of cooperation with the Congress of the USA, with House of Councillors of Japan, with the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia.
Abish Kekilbayev translated to the Kazakh language G. Maupassant's novels «Pierre and Jean», Life, C.Aitmatov's story «Ranniye zhuravli» (Early cranes). He took part in the translation of the epic novel War and peace by L.Tolstoy, a number of works by I.Bunin. Abish Kekilbayev translated plays King Lear, Romeo and Juliette» by W.Shakespeare, «Don Juan or love to geometry» by M. Frisch.
