"Not here to taste the power": Sushila Karki after assuming charge as Nepal's Interim PM

Kathmandu [Nepal], September 14 (ANI): Moments after taking charge as the Prime Minister of Nepal's interim government, Sushila Karki on Sunday delivered a strong message of humility and accountability, stating that her administration is not in office to "taste power" but to stabilise the country, address demands for justice, and prepare for fresh elections within six months.
"I and my team are not here to taste the power. We won't stay for more than six months. We will hand over the responsibility to the new parliament. We won't succeed without your support," Karki said during a press conference after formally assuming office at the Singha Durbar.
She lauded the nationwide youth-led September 8 protest that shook the country, demanding economic reforms and an end to corruption and announced that those who were killed during the protest would be officially recognised as "martyrs", aimed at honouring the protestors.
She further added that a compensation amount of NRs one million would also be given to their families.
"27 hours of movement is first in Nepal. They are demanding economic equality and the eradication of corruption. All the deceased of September 8 are announced martyrs and will be given one million each. Expenses of the injured will be borne by the government, and they will also be compensated," she stated.
According to The Himalayan Times, the total number of deaths from the recent protests has risen to 72, comprising 59 demonstrators, 10 prison inmates, and three police officers.
The interim Prime Minister also assured families that the government will assist in transferring the bodies of the deceased to their home districts and acknowledged the destruction caused during the protests, including damage to personal property, and said the state will step in with support.
Karki also made it clear that the government will also investigate acts of vandalism and violence.
"Transfer of the bodies from Kathmandu to other districts will be facilitated by the government... Personal properties were also burnt down; we will not leave them, the government will work on measures to give them some compensation. It can be through soft loans or any other measures... Those involved in the incident of vandalism will be investigated," she said.
She also emphasised that reconstruction and economic stability will be a priority for her interim government.
"We are in an economic crisis. We should discuss and work on the reconstruction," she added.
Karki, Nepal's first female Chief Justice and now the first female Prime Minister, is backed by the Gen Z-led movement that has transformed the country's political landscape over the last few days.
The protests on September 8, primarily led by Gen Z youth activists, were sparked by growing frustration over corruption, a lack of accountability, and the perceived failure of political elites, triggered by the Nepalese government's ban on social media.
The 73-year-old former Chief Justice of Nepal was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister on Friday after the widespread protests.
Her appointment as the interim PM came after the protesters collectively endorsed her name as their nominee for the interim position, citing her integrity and independence, following the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after the widespread protests. (ANI)