KATHMANDU— After the recent “Gen-Z” protests led by young people that have thrown Nepal into political chaos, an odd but respected person has come forward as a possible leader: former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki. Karki is 73 years old, which could make him appear like an unlikely choice to lead a movement made up mostly of people in their 20s. But she has a lengthy history of fighting corruption and protecting the independence of the courts, which makes her a symbol of the change the demonstrators want. If she is chosen, she will be the first woman to be prime minister of Nepal.
Karki has had problems with the political establishment before. In 2017, a few months before she retired, then-Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and his coalition government tried to impeach her. After she and her bench dismissed the government’s choice for national police director, the move was praised as a pro-democracy step to remove the long-standing practice of political parties choosing important appointments based on “undue favors rather than merit.”
Civil society groups and foreign organizations all spoke out against the move to impeach Karki. In support of her, both Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) made statements. HRW called the move “nothing short of an attempt to override a judicial decision.” They said it went against the most important rule of judicial independence.
Karki has always been a strong voice against corruption and a defender of human liberties. She once convicted and put a sitting minister in jail for corruption and made a historic decision that gave Nepali women the right to pass citizenship on to their children, a right that was only available to men before. A political analyst once said that her “aggressive” stance against corruption had “annoyed the politicians.” However, it also garnered her the trust and respect of a public that was tired of corruption in government.
The Supreme Court put the impeachment motion on hold, and Karki stepped down in June 2017. She has stayed involved in civil society movements and was visible among the demonstrators at the most recent demonstrations. Her presence gave the youth-led movement more credibility.
Her rise as a possible leader, which has pushed younger leaders like Rabi Lamichhane and Balendra Shah to the background, shows how well-liked and respected she is by the population. During this time of political uncertainty in Nepal, Karki’s possible selection as an interim leader might bring much-needed stability and show that the government is willing to listen to the concerns of its unhappy populace.