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Nepal
New government for new republic
Article published on the 2008-08-22 Latest update 2008-08-22 15:13 TU
Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda", prime minister of Nepal, 18 August 2008
(photo: Reuters)
Nepal has a new government. It's the first since the end of the 240-year-old monarchy two months ago. The three political parties, who allied after the elections in Nepal in April, negotiate at length the new cabinet line-up. It has a tough road ahead, supervising the drafting of a new constitution and implementing significant reforms to get the county back on its feet.
The Maoists, the former rebels who won more than a third of seats in the constitutent assembly elections in April, are in charge of defence and finance.
Political Commentator C.K. Lal in Kathmandu, told RFI that the defence ministry is a key portfolio for the Maoists. He says they want to integrate their fighters - who have been disarmed and cantonned in United Nations camps - into the Nepali Army, a move the Army has been resisting.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) heads the interior ministry and the foreign ministry goes to the leader of the party representing a tribal minority which has gained significant political clout in the new formation, the Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum, the third party in the Maoist-led alliance.
The three-party coalition has also announced a 19-point code of conduct to be followed by ministers, The Rising Nepal reported. The code of conduct includes publicizing property details before taking charge of the ministerial posts and before resigning from the post as well as being corruption free, and refraining from providing perks and illegal facilities to their friends and relatives, nor make unnecessary and expensive travels and visits.
The Maoists, led by the new prime minister, Prachandra whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, have said they will carry out radical reforms to set the country back on its feet. They and their two coalition partners have their work cut out to restore food and fuel supplies, and carry out land reforms after a recent history blighted by corruption and civil war.
