Nepal stabilises as Sushila Karki becomes PM, curfew lifted after ‘Gen-Z protests’ topple Oli govt

NEPAL began to return to normalcy on Saturday following deadly anti-corruption protests. With the easing of the curfew and the swearing-in of an interim prime minister, daily life in Kathmandu gradually resumed as shops, markets, and traffic started to return to normal.

Here are the top updates:

1. Soldiers began scaling back their presence on the streets of Nepal after days of heavy deployment, following violent demonstrations that led to the toppling of the government and left parliament in flames.

2. The protests, which have been the worst unrest since the end of the decade-long civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008, resulted in the deaths of at least 51 people. Nepal Police co-spokesperson Ramesh Thapa said the dead included one Indian national and three police personnel.

3. For many Nepalis, Karki's appointment carried both symbolic weight and the promise of change. "Nepal has got its first woman prime minister," said Suraj Bhattarai, 51, a social worker, as reported by AFP. “We think that the prime minister -- our former chief justice -- will address Nepal's fight against corruption and take good governance forward.”

4. The appointment of Karki, known for her independence, came after intense negotiations by army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and President Ram Chandra Paudel, including with “Gen Z” representatives, the loose umbrella title of the youth protest movement. Thousands of young activists had used the app Discord to debate the next steps -- and name Karki as their choice of next leader, as reported by AFP.

5. The new prime minister appeared to be widely welcomed as people sought to put the unrest behind them. “The interim government decision is good for now,” said Durga Magar, 23, who works in a Kathmandu shop. “It doesn't matter whether it is Gen Z, or anyone older in politics who tackles it -- it just needs to stop”, she added.

6. The protesters' hope of rooting out endemic corruption is no easy task, while in terms of security, more than 12,500 prisoners who escaped from jails during the chaos are on the run.

7. On Friday evening, Sushila Karki, the 73-year-old former chief justice, was sworn in as Nepal's interim prime minister, tasked with restoring order and addressing the protesters’ demands for a corruption-free government and a more accountable political system.

8. There are no restrictive orders or curfew on Saturday, a Nepal Army spokesperson said, PTI reported. With the easing of measures, shops, grocery stores, markets, and malls reopened, and traffic began to return to normal on the streets.

9. Additionally, cleaning drives were initiated at various locations, including government buildings that had been vandalised and set on fire by protesters during the recent wave of violence.

10. Among the worst hit is the Hilton Hotel in Kathmandu, which alone reported damages exceeding ₹8 billion, My Republica news portal reported, quoting a HAN statement. Nepalese authorities announced temporary measures to facilitate foreign nationals stranded in the country due to the ongoing curfew in the Kathmandu Valley.