Nepal’s interim Prime Minister, Sushila Karki, has made her first public address since taking office, vowing to tackle corruption and improve the living standards of the Nepalese people. Speaking on Nepal’s national day, which commemorates the tenth anniversary of the country’s constitution, she acknowledged that recent youth-led protests were a direct result of public dissatisfaction with corruption and the government’s failure to deliver good governance.
Karki, 73, a former Supreme Court chief justice and the first woman to hold both that post and the prime ministerial role, was appointed last week with a mandate to hold parliamentary elections on March 5. Her appointment was supported by “Gen Z” representatives due to her strong personal commitment to combating corruption and upholding the rule of law. She has already appointed three ministers with reformist backgrounds to her interim government.
The violent protests, dubbed “demonstrations by Gen Z,” led to the resignation of the previous Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli. The unrest resulted in the deaths of 72 people and left over 2,100 injured. Public and private property, including the main government complex housing the prime minister’s office and parliament, suffered extensive damage from arson and vandalism.
In her address, Karki emphasized that her government is committed to creating jobs, enhancing the quality of life, ensuring transparency in government work, and controlling corruption. She stated that the protests “reflect the aspirations of the young generation, a growing level of popular awareness and dissatisfaction over the rising corruption.” Karki pledged to hold the upcoming elections on time, promising to deliver on the constitutional objectives of prosperity and good governance.