Nepal greets historic dawn: First woman PM Sushila Karki swears in key ministers after deadly protests

Kathmandu: Nepal’s new interim prime minister Sushila Karki unveiled her first cabinet ministers on Monday, in a move aimed at restoring order after a wave of deadly youth-led protests toppled the previous government.

Under an outdoor awning, against the fire-scarred presidential office, President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office to three senior ministers in a ceremony broadcast live on national television. The appointments mark the first steps of Karki’s administration as she seeks to address widespread demands for accountability and reform.

The protests, which erupted on September 8 over a controversial ban on social media, quickly grew into the worst unrest since the end of Nepal’s civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. Demonstrators, mostly young people angered by corruption and economic stagnation, set parliament and government offices ablaze. At least 72 people were killed in two days of violence, and nearly 200 remain in hospital, according to official figures.

Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice and the first woman to lead Nepal, faces the enormous challenge of steering the country to elections scheduled for March 2026. Her government has pledged to prioritise clean governance, jobs, and economic revival.

Among the new ministers, Om Prakash Aryal, a lawyer known for anti-corruption cases, takes over as home minister with responsibility for law and justice. Kulman Ghising, credited with ending years of crippling power cuts, will oversee energy, infrastructure, and transport. Rameshwor Khanal, a respected economist, was appointed finance minister, tasked with tackling high youth unemployment and economic malaise.