New ministers took oaths of office outside the wreckage of the presidential building, torched during last week’s protests.
The burned out presidential building loomed behind a tent where three new ministers were sworn in today in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, following mass protests that toppled the government.
Thousands of young Nepalis took to the streets when the government banned social media on September 4, ostensibly because the companies had not registered in the country. The move was widely perceived as an attempt to muzzle criticism, amid a lively social media debate about “nepo babies” — children of politicians posting about their lavish lives.
Endemic corruption became the burning issue as protests continued, and several government buildings were torched.
At least 72 people died during a week of protests and clashes with police, with about 1,400 injured, according to authorities. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned on September 9, along with his ministers. An interim government led by Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first female prime minister, is expected to hold elections in March 2026.
In the heavily-guarded tent, set up in a courtyard scattered with shards of broken glass, Rameshwor Khanal took the oath of office as finance minister. Kulman Ghising was sworn in as energy minister, and Om Prakash Aryal became minister for home affairs.
All three are known for their anti-corruption stances, and the interim government is expected to tackle the issue as its first order of business.
“We will discuss this in our next meeting, as to what type of new structure will help to eliminate corruption in the country,” Aryal told OCCRP after the ministers held their first meeting, following the afternoon swearing-in ceremony.
The new government decided during its first cabinet meeting to officially recognize protestors who lost their lives as martyrs, with a national day of mourning planned for September 17.
The government also approved relief packages of 1.5 million rupees ($10,642) for the families of protestors who died, and pledged to provide free medical treatment for those injured.
Although none of the newly appointed ministers belong to the generation that gave the uprising its name, “Gen Z,” the formation of a new cabinet is expected to mark the first step towards restoring stability.
Yujan Rajbhandari, a Gen Z protest leader, voiced cautious optimism.
“The primary work of the interim citizens' government is to conduct free and fair elections in time and get a fresh mandate, which will end the transitional phase,” Rajbhandari said.
“The election will hopefully elect new, fresh leaders, and the new government should work to control corruption in the spirit of the Gen Z movement,” he added.
Aryal, who is a human rights lawyer, said a commission would be formed to investigate vandalism during the protests.
Along with the presidential building, protesters set fire to the parliament, and the Singha Durbar, a palace built in 1908 that has housed government administration offices. Police stations and the Supreme Court were also burned.
Anger at the corruption that fueled last week’s protests has been simmering for decades. Nepal ranked 107 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index. Meanwhile, about 20 percent of Nepal’s 30 million people live below the poverty line, according to the latest statistics from 2022.
