Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: As the Himalayan country tried to rebuild life disturbed by last week’s deaths and destruction, Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday administered the oath of office to three ministers inducted by newly appointed caretaker Prime Minister Sushila Karki into her cabinet.
Karki, 73, the landlocked nation’s first woman PM, assumed office on Sunday. Later in the day, she inducted Kulman Ghising, Rameshwor Khanal, and Om Prakash Aryal as ministers.
The swearing-in ceremony of the three ministers took place at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas, Maharjgunj, in Kathmandu.
Former Finance Secretary Khanal has been sworn in as Finance Minister, while former Nepal Electricity Authority Managing Director Ghising has taken charge of three portfolios: energy, water resources and irrigation; physical infrastructure and transport; and urban development.
Aryal, a lawyer, has been sworn in as Minister for Home Affairs and for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, they assumed their respective offices.
Karki was appointed as the Interim Prime Minister at the recommendation of the agitating ‘Generation Z’ group to head the caretaker government, which is mandated to conduct fresh elections on March 5, 2026.
She took oath on September 12, ending days of political uncertainty after the abrupt resignation of PM K P Sharma Oli following widespread anti-government protests spearheaded by ‘Gen Z’ group against a ban on social media and alleged corruption.
Oli quit last Tuesday shortly after hundreds of agitators stormed his office demanding his resignation. At least 72 people were killed in the nationwide protests.