Nepal Swears In Interim Ministers After Deadly Anti-Corruption Protests

Nepal’s interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, unveiled her first cabinet members on Monday as the country struggles to restore stability following youth-led protests that toppled the previous government.

Under an outdoor canopy, with the fire-scorched presidential office as a backdrop, President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office to three key ministers in a ceremony broadcast nationwide.

The protests, triggered by a ban on social media and fueled by deep economic grievances, erupted on September 8 and quickly escalated. Demonstrators torched parliament and other government buildings in the worst unrest since the end of Nepal’s civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.

Government figures put the death toll at 72 over just two days of protests, with 191 people still receiving hospital treatment.

Karki, 73, a former chief justice, has been tasked with addressing demands for a corruption-free future ahead of elections set for March.

Among the new ministers:

• Om Prakash Aryal, a lawyer known for pursuing corruption and human rights cases, takes over as home minister, as well as law, justice and parliamentary affairs.
• Kulman Ghising, the former head of the Nepal Electricity Authority who ended years of power shortages, assumes responsibility for energy, infrastructure, transport and urban development.
• Rameshwor Khanal, an economist and former finance secretary, becomes finance minister, charged with tackling unemployment and economic recovery.

Youth joblessness remains one of Nepal’s deepest challenges, with one in five people aged 15–24 out of work, according to the World Bank. The country’s GDP per capita stands at just $1,447.