First, warm congratulations and best wishes to Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister, Sushila Karki. Her appointment, following the dissolution of the House of Representatives (HoR) and the announcement of fresh elections, comes at a critical turning point in Nepal. The lifting of curfew and prohibitory orders in Kathmandu signals a return to normalcy, but the task ahead is immense. With her background as a lawyer, Chief Justice and defender of the rule of law, Prime Minister Karki carries the trust of many Nepalis who expect her to restore the state’s credibility. The recent protests left the nation shaken. Dozens of lives were lost, public and public and private property worth several billions of rupees was destroyed and public trust in the state has been gravely eroded. Restoring this trust is the government’s greatest challenge. That will not be achieved through lofty promises or sprawling agendas but through clear and focused action. The transitional government has at most six months; if it tries to do too much, it risks failing in everything. State failure is not a price the nation can afford.
The new government must therefore focus on two urgent priorities: ensuring credible investigations into corruption and holding free and fair elections on time. Every other reform should be sequenced in a way that supports these priorities. The first step must be reforms in the judiciary. Without a credible and independent justice system, corruption probes will remain cosmetic and political impunity will persist. A judiciary that is both efficient and beyond political capture is the foundation of accountability. The second step must be reform in the police. The excessive and brutal use of force during the protests turned confrontations into massacres, fuelling public outrage and damaging police morale. The police are the frontline of state authority and they must be reformed to act as protectors of citizens, not predators. Impunity must end, discipline must be strengthened and morale restored. Third, the bureaucracy must be tackled. Corruption has hollowed out the administrative machinery at every level from ward offices to Singha Durbar. Unless bureaucratic malpractices are confronted head-on, development programs, public services and even election management will suffer.
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This is not a time for vanity projects or sweeping reform agendas. The youth-led protests were not about dismantling federal democracy, nor about a return to the past. They were a demand for honesty, accountability and the end of a feudal political culture. Their anger was directed at political elites and the extravagance of “nepo kids” who enjoy state privilege while ordinary citizens suffer. The new leadership must set a different tone. Prime Minister Karki, known for her modesty and integrity, is uniquely positioned to lead by example. Democratic simplicity in lifestyle and conduct, combined with a disciplined focus on corruption investigations and elections, can rebuild public trust. Nepal now stands at a fragile but hopeful juncture. If this government concentrates on its two urgent tasks, it can leave behind a foundation of accountability and stability. If it overreaches, the cost of failure will be borne by the entire nation.
