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Nepal’s new interim prime minister announced her first cabinet on Monday, September 15, following a wave of deadly anti-corruption protests that forced out the previous government.
In a televised ceremony held against the backdrop of the fire-damaged presidential office, President Ram Chandra Paudel swore in three key ministers. Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the 73-year-old former chief justice, has been tasked with responding to protesters’ demands for a corruption-free government ahead of elections scheduled for March.
Om Prakash Aryal, a prominent lawyer known for taking on corruption, governance, and human rights cases, was appointed home minister as well as minister for law, justice, and parliamentary affairs. Kulman Ghising, the former head of the Nepal Electricity Authority credited with ending years of crippling power cuts, was given responsibility for energy, infrastructure, transport, and urban development.
Rameshwor Khanal, a respected economist and former finance secretary, assumed the finance portfolio, where he faces the daunting challenge of tackling widespread unemployment — one of the root causes of the unrest.
The protests began on September 8 after the government imposed a social media ban amid deepening economic hardship. Demonstrations quickly escalated, with parliament and other government buildings set on fire in the worst unrest since the end of the civil war and abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
At least 72 people were k!lled during two days of clashes, while 191 remain hospitalized, according to official figures.
