Nepal’s interim PM appoints cabinet amid post-protest recovery

In a move to stabilize the nation after deadly anti-government demonstrations, Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushila Karki appointed three key ministers to her interim government on Monday, tasking them with preparing for new elections scheduled for March.

The newly appointed officials—Kalman Gurung as energy minister, Rameshore Khanal as finance minister, and Om Prakash Aryal as home minister—were sworn in at a ceremony outside a government building that had been attacked and set ablaze by protesters last week.

From protests to transition

Their appointments come after violent protests, sparked by a brief social media ban and widespread anger over corruption, resulted in at least 72 deaths and hundreds of injuries, leading to the collapse of the previous administration.

Prime Minister Karki, 73, who was appointed on September 12 and is the country’s first female prime minister, took office last Friday following an agreement with leaders of the largely youth-led "Gen Z" protest movement.

The military, which enforced a curfew during the unrest, ultimately consented to her leadership of a caretaker government charged with overseeing elections within six months.

A mandate for change

At a conference on Sunday, Karki outlined her priorities: “What we need now is to work to end corruption, bring about good governance, and achieve economic equality. This is what the people truly desire at this moment.”

A former chief justice of the Supreme Court, Karki gained popularity in 2016 and 2017 for her strong anti-corruption stance.

Now, she faces the formidable challenge of uniting a fractured political landscape and restoring public trust.

Public cautiously optimistic

While some citizens, like student Chandra Lal Mehta, believe voters will seek a younger leader in the March elections, he acknowledged that Karki’s legal expertise is a valuable asset for her current role.

Businessman Shrawan Dahl expressed confidence in her ability to lead the interim government, noting her support from both the military and the public.

“Her objective is to conduct the election,” Dahl stated, “and we hope she will accomplish this task successfully.”