Daily Lens
Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has unveiled her first cabinet picks as the Himalayan nation struggles to restore calm after a wave of deadly youth-driven anti-corruption protests toppled the prenvious government.
In a ceremony held under an outdoor awning outside the fire-scorched presidential office, President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office to three key ministers on Monday, with the event broadcast nationwide.
The protests, triggered by a ban on social media and fueled by long-standing economic frustrations, erupted on September 8 and quickly spiraled into the country’s worst unrest since the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. Parliament and several government buildings were torched, leaving at least 72 people dead and nearly 200 hospitalized.
Karki, 73, a former chief justice, has pledged to meet demonstrators’ demands for a corruption-free government ahead of elections set for March.
Her initial cabinet lineup includes:
Om Prakash Aryal — a prominent anti-corruption lawyer, appointed Home Minister as well as Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.
Kulman Ghising — credited with ending Nepal’s chronic power cuts, tasked with Energy, Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development.
Rameshwor Khanal — veteran economist and former finance secretary, named Finance Minister to tackle soaring unemployment.
With nearly 20% of young people jobless and per capita GDP at just $1,447, restoring public trust and delivering economic stability remain the interim government’s toughest challenges.
