Nepal’s first female interim PM Sushila Karki to officially take charge at 11 am after Gen Z-led uprising

Nepal’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Sushila Karki will officially take charge at Singha Durbar at 11 am on Sunday. The cabinet swearing-in ceremony is expected to follow shortly after. This will mark a significant political transition for the Himalayan nation after days of violent protests. The 73-year-old former chief justice of the country was sworn in as interim prime minister on Friday following the massive Generation Z protest.

The protests, called the Gen Z protests, were due to frustration with political stagnation, corruption, and economic inequality, which was triggered by the ban on social media platforms in the country.

Following the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after widespread protests, protesters had collectively endorsed his name as interim prime minister, citing his integrity and independence.

Karki’s selection is a rare moment of consensus in Nepali politics. Chosen through a public vote held by Gen Z leaders on the online platform Discord, she emerged as the most popular and acceptable figure, not only among the youth movement but also among traditional political forces seeking stability and credibility in a time of upheaval.

Meanwhile, as reported by the Kathmandu Post, Karki has begun consultations with close advisers and prominent figures from the Gen Z movement in preparation for finalising his cabinet.

Quoting one of her aides, Karki will begin intense discussions to form her cabinet on Sunday morning, according to the Kathmandu Post.

Despite holding power over all 25 ministries, she is reportedly committed to forming a streamlined Cabinet with no more than 15 ministers, a move that is in line with calls from civil society and the Gen Z-led protest movement.

Names being considered for ministerial roles include legal expert Om Prakash Aryal, former army official Balananda Sharma, retired justice Anand Mohan Bhattarai, Madhav Sundar Khadka, Asheem Man Singh Basnyat, and energy expert Kulman Ghising, The Kathmandu Post reported.

From the medical field, eminent personalities such as Dr Bhagwan Koirala, Dr Sanduk Ruit, Dr Jagdish Agarwal and Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha are also being considered.

Meanwhile, members of Gen Z are conducting parallel consultations, including discussions on platforms like Discord, to recommend potential candidates who align with their reformist agenda. If a consensus is reached, the Cabinet could be sworn in by Sunday evening, though it could be postponed till Monday depending on the outcome of the discussions, the Kathmandu Post reported.

On Friday, Nepal’s parliament was formally dissolved and fresh elections were scheduled for March 5, 2026. Hours later, former Prime Minister Karki was sworn in as the country’s new interim prime minister.

Announcing the decision, the president’s office said the dissolution was approved at the first cabinet meeting called by Karki at 11pm local time, marking the beginning of a six-month transitional government tasked with leading the country to elections.

With ANI Inputs