“Not a day beyond six months”: Nepal’s new PM Sushila Karki rises from Gen Z protests with anti-corruption pledge

Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has become Nepal’s first female Prime Minister after a week of intense Gen Z-led protests forced the resignation of KP Sharma Oli.

The 73-year-old reformist leader, chosen by protesters themselves for her integrity and independence, formally took charge at Singha Durbar on Sunday. She pledged to stay in office strictly for six months, promising to fight corruption and restore public trust. “I won’t stay here one day more than six months,” she declared.

The President dissolved the House of Representatives and scheduled fresh elections for March 5, 2026, tasking Karki with leading the nation through a turbulent interim period marked by frustration over political stagnation, economic disparity, and the controversial ban on social media.

Karki has already begun consultations with civil society, youth leaders, and aides to form a lean, reform-driven Cabinet of no more than 15 ministers, signaling a break from the bloated political structures of the past.

While optimism surrounds her six-month pledge with her clean image and commitment to reform, the ultimate test is whether Karki can truly deliver reforms in a system long resistant to change. For many, her promise echoes the storyline of the film “Nayak” — where a leader brings sweeping change in just one day. The question now is whether Nepal’s first female Prime Minister can script a real-life version of that tale in six months.