Nepal climbs its Everest of honesty
In the thin Himalayan mountain air of Nepal, the unambiguous results of the March 5 national elections are breathing new vitality into hopes for clean and effective governance in one of the world鈥檚 least-developed nations.
The relatively new Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has so far won about 74% of the 165 directly elected seats in the legislature. Its sweeping success positions Balendra Shah, the capital city鈥檚 youthful, antiestablishment mayor (and ex-rap star), to become prime minister.
Nepal is the third South Asian country in recent years 鈥� after Sri Lanka and Bangladesh 鈥� to demand both democratic and generational change in political systems characterized by entrenched leadership, nepotism, and inefficiency. In all three nations, youth-led street protests resoundingly called for honesty and accountability, and ousted longtime political leaders, including 鈥� last September 鈥� Nepal鈥檚 four-term Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.
Until the RSP came along, the same major parties had dominated politics for nearly three decades.
鈥淧eople want change very badly,鈥� as one political activist told Monitor contributor Aakash Hassan. 鈥淏ut transforming the system will be much harder than winning an election,鈥� he noted.
An engineer by training, Mr. Shah has often indicated 鈥� largely through social media 鈥� that he wants to overhaul, if not overturn, 鈥渢he system.鈥� As a teenage rapper, his songs such as 鈥淪adak Balak鈥� (street child) and 鈥淏alidan鈥� (sacrifice) called out corruption, pervasive poverty, and lack of services in this landlocked nation sandwiched between India and China. The country ranks in the bottom 25% of the United Nations Human Development Index. And more than 10% of its nearly 30 million people have sought employment in foreign countries.
Last month, Mr. Shah鈥檚 party issued a 鈥淐itizen Contract,鈥� tying itself to a 鈥�100 Days, 100 Works鈥� list of rapid actions to be taken on assuming office.
This 鈥渂inding pact,鈥� noted the Nepal News portal, differs from typical election manifestos that lack 鈥渞obust ways to ensure compliance or continuation.鈥� The contract, the outlet said, outlines public updates and progress assessments, putting a 鈥渟potlight on openness and verifiable accomplishments.鈥�
Even as some critics are concerned about Mr. Shah鈥檚 go-it-alone style, his direct approach and focus on transparency 鈥� along with the relatively peaceful election process 鈥� inspire hope among many young Nepalis that deeper change is possible.
鈥淚 would love to be remembered as an honest guy, rather than a musician, an engineer, or a mayor,鈥� Mr. Shah said in an online interview in 2024.
鈥淭here is huge potential in our country,鈥� youth activist Yujan Rajbhandari told the Monitor just before last week鈥檚 vote. 鈥淥ur only real hope is democracy in the true sense.鈥�
