Nepal’s ex-chief justice Sushila Karki chosen as interim prime minister
Karki is the first woman to hold the position, and her integrity offers hope for reform in a country wracked by violence
Nepal has appointed former chief justice Sushila Karki as the country’s interim prime minister, creating history as the first woman to hold the position, after days of tumultuous protests.
The historic move comes as Nepal’s Gen Z protesters endorsed Karki to lead following violent anti-corruption demonstrations that toppled prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and left at least 51 people dead.
“It’s a very emotional moment for us,” said Aneekarma, a Gen Z who protested on Monday. “We have a woman of expertise who has always been on the right side of history – finally a proper representation.”
Gen Z protesters had earlier backed Karki in an online vote on the chatting app Discord, where she emerged as the most favoured candidate, beating influencer Rastra Bimochan Timilsina, young politician Sagar Dhakal, Dharan mayor Harka Sampang and Mahabir Pun, a leading social figure known for pushing tech innovations and rural development.
Karki, 73, who became Nepal’s first woman chief justice in 2016, is known for her zero-tolerance approach against corruption.
That factor has prompted Kathmandu resident Ekta Adhikari to support Karki’s candidacy, hoping she would advance women’s rights issues and look into sexual violence-related cases from the Maoist insurgency years.