All is Not Well with the RSP Government

The author, a voter who did not support the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the recent general elections, voices a collective dilemma: looking critically at a government led by someone they hoped would not prevail, yet simultaneously wishing for its success.

Four months into Prime Minister Balendra Shah's tenure, the initial optimism surrounding the new, relatively young Cabinet has faded, replaced by emerging doubts about the RSP's governance. While newcomers might bring idealism and innovative approaches, their inexperience and lack of understanding of political exigencies have become apparent. The government has already made several missteps, including the arrest and subsequent court-ordered release of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the perceived "inhumane haste" in demolishing squatter settlements.

Another instance of poor planning cited is the wholesale recall of all politically appointed ambassadors. The government's proposed solution, selecting ambassadorships through open competition, is met with skepticism by the author. The article questions the value of these positions, suggesting that Nepal's global diplomatic influence is minimal, with Nepali diplomats rarely accorded significant respect outside of Lhasa.

The author points to a 2023 headline, "Nepal’s ambassadors wait, months on end, for political access in Delhi, Beijing," as evidence of this diminished standing. The core purpose of an ambassador is to further a country's interests, and the author questions whether an open competition can effectively achieve this when the country itself holds little sway on the international stage.