Nepal's Rapper-Turned-PM Shah Marks 100 Days of Swift, Elusive Reforms

One hundred days after taking power with promises of sweeping reform, Nepal's 36-year-old Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a former rapper, has reshuffled the government while maintaining an elusive public presence. The former mayor of Kathmandu, widely known as "Balen," reached this milestone on Sunday and has acted decisively since assuming office.

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In three months, we know very little about the man we have elected as the prime minister. He needs to open up.

Shortly after his swearing-in, police arrested former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and his ex-interior minister based on an inquiry commission's recommendation into the deadly September 2025 uprising that ousted Oli. Both have since been released without charge as investigations continue. Observers note that this initial move set the tone for the government's subsequent actions: rapid and symbolically charged, yet often legally challenged and executed with little regard for institutional processes.

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his administration was 'on an expressway' towards change. The brakes will only be applied when we reach our destination

Shah has maintained an unusually low profile, preferring to communicate via social media and even delivering his victory speech as a rap song. He has also avoided meetings with foreign envoys and has delegated visits to neighboring India and China, traditional first stops for Nepali prime ministers, to his foreign minister. "In three months, we know very little about the man we have elected as the prime minister," said journalist Pranaya Rana. "He needs to open up."

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The nation is standing at a decisive crossroad of comprehensive economic reform

Few anticipated the scale of Shah's landslide victory in the March 5 general election, the first since youth-driven anti-corruption protests toppled Oli's government. His rise was fueled by public anger over a lack of economic opportunities and corruption among the established political elite. The government has launched a 100-point reform agenda covering governance, anti-corruption, service delivery, and digitalization, with about 70 measures already implemented. Minister of Finance Swarnim Wagle stated, "The nation is standing at a decisive crossroad of comprehensive economic reform."

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First of all, it has changed the style of working -- it started working from day one unlike previous governments. It seems to be action-oriented.