By Kennedy Nalyanya
Nepal has sworn in its first female leader, former chief justice Sushila Karki, as interim prime minister following a week of deadly anti-corruption protests that forced the previous leader to resign. The historic appointment comes after a series of massive demonstrations led by a youth movement known as 'Gen Z.'
On Friday, President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to Karki in a live-broadcast ceremony. Karki’s appointment followed intense negotiations between the president, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and protest leaders who sought to resolve the country's most significant political upheaval in years. The president's office has tasked Karki with preparing for fresh parliamentary elections by March 11, 2026.
The nationwide protests, initially sparked by a social media ban, led to the deaths of 51 people and injured over 1,300. The violence subsided only after former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned. Manjita Manandhar, a Gen Z protester, expressed "mixed emotions" about Karki’s appointment, noting the heavy price paid by young lives. "We did it! For them! For New Nepal! The journey has just begun," she said, rallying fellow citizens to build a stronger nation.
Sushila Karki, who was the country's only female chief justice, was the preferred choice of the protesters due to her strong reputation for honesty and integrity. Her previous role in the judiciary, which she held until 2017, cemented her image as a leader capable of fighting corruption.
As Nepal inches toward normalcy, constitutional expert Bipin Adhikari says Karki’s first major challenge is to investigate the violence and destruction that occurred during the protests. He stressed the need for her to "provide good governance, control corruption, maintain law and order, and assure the people about the security conditions."
Since the abolition of its monarchy in 2008, Nepal has struggled with political and economic instability. With limited job opportunities, millions of Nepalis have sought work abroad, sending remittances back home to support their families. As shops reopen and cars return to the roads, some families are still mourning their losses. A few roads remain blocked, and the sight of police with batons has replaced the earlier presence of armed soldiers. Families have begun the grim task of collecting the bodies of their loved ones killed in the unrest. Karuna Budhathoki waited for her 23-year-old nephew's body, while relatives of 24-year-old Ashab Alam Thakurai, who had been married just a month earlier, recounted their final, heart-breaking search for him in the morgue.
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