New Nepal Interim Ministers Sworn In After Deadly Protests

Nepal’s new interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, has unveiled her first set of ministers as the country works to restore order following youth-led anti-corruption protests that toppled the previous government.

The swearing-in took place on Monday under an outdoor awning against the backdrop of the fire-damaged presidential office, where President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office in a ceremony broadcast live on national television.

The unrest, triggered by a ban on social media and fueled by long-standing economic frustrations, erupted on September 8 and escalated rapidly. Protesters torched parliament and key government buildings in the worst violence since the end of the civil war and abolition of the monarchy in 2008. Official figures put the death toll at 72, with 191 people still recovering in hospital.

Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice, has been tasked with leading the interim government toward elections in March while addressing protesters’ demands for a corruption-free future.

Among those sworn in was Om Prakash Aryal, an anti-corruption advocate, who now holds the powerful home ministry as well as the law, justice, and parliamentary affairs portfolios. Kulman Ghising, the former head of the Nepal Electricity Authority credited with ending years of crippling power cuts, was appointed minister for energy, infrastructure, transport, and urban development. Meanwhile, Rameshwor Khanal, a respected economist and former finance secretary, assumed the finance portfolio to confront unemployment and economic stagnation.

According to the World Bank, one in five Nepalis aged 15 to 24 remain unemployed, with GDP per capita standing at just $1,447 — a challenge the new cabinet will be pressed to address quickly.