Focus On Good Governance

Nepali politics is still riddled with quandaries, as evidenced by the fact that the central and provincial governments have remained in an unstable state, owing mostly to our leaders. With changes in central governments — three in a span of one and a half years — the concept of stability has taken a blow, causing multifarious consequences. Such instability has left our bureaucracy, which is considered a permanent government, in the doldrums, while ministries' performance has plummeted. Development projects in various parts of the country, as well as people-targeted welfare programmes, as enshrined in the constitution, which clearly states that the Nepali economy will be socialism-oriented, have taken a back seat, while politicians are seen engaging in self-serving acts that undermine the people’s aspirations for a prosperous, developed Nepal. 

Instances illustrate that every change in the federal government prompts parties to cause changes in provincial administrations without considering the negative impacts. Coalition partners typically form governments led by one of its members, and they share ministerial posts in the same way that they do in the centre. Currently, numerous provincial governments are having difficulty forming and nominating cabinet members. If this is the case and provincial administrations have a shorter lifespan, how can provincial authorities, who are considered the backbone of the federal system, carry out all necessary development projects in their provinces? 

Public outrage

Even nine years after the new constitution was promulgated in 2015 and two general elections were held in 2017 and 2022, the country remains beset by political uncertainty and instability. The notion of good governance has been undermined, even though our politicians and bureaucrats are always emphasising its importance. Several leaders, ministers, bureaucrats, notable businessmen, and others have been found to have engaged in corrupt conduct over the years, eliciting public outrage and prompting an inquiry by the anti-graft authority. Ironically, many officials from investigating agencies and high-ranking police officers have come under scanner for their ties to smugglers and corrupt individuals, as well as for misusing authority. 

Several politicians, ministers, bureaucrats, and businesses have been implicated, creating concern in the public domain about our flawed governance structure. What's more irksome is that several people involved in corrupt crimes have walked free or held high-ranking public positions, which is an utter blot on the concept of good governance. In addition to ignoring the significance of following the idea of good governance, our politicians are less concerned with answering wider political concerns to address people’s demands regarding promises the leaders made to them. 

The government has decided to prorogue parliament sessions after the main opposition, the Nepali Congress, disrupted several parliamentary sittings over allegations that the Home Minister misappropriated cooperative savings. The opposition has urged that a parliamentary inquiry be set up over the fund misappropriation, which the ruling benches have refused. After maintaining its position that such a probe body would not be formed, the government of the five coalition parties, primarily the CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Janata Samajbadi Party, and CPN- Unified Socialist, decided to prorogue parliament so that the Nepali Congress could make its demands louder. Several important bills remained pending in the House following the hasty conclusion of the session, compelling the Speaker to voice his disappointment over the abrupt ending of the House without endorsing key bills. 

Following the House prorogation, the government is expected to enact much legislation through ordinances, which is not considered a feasible option in a multiparty democratic form of governance in which laws must be passed by the majority of House members. The use of ordinances is a method of endorsing crucial bills when the country is facing a tough moment in which House sessions cannot function or cannot be summoned. Many commentators have criticised the government's actions, claiming that the move came on the eve of the international investment conclave, to which many international investors had been invited. International investors frequently seek House clearance for their investment projects in Nepal.

Prestige issue

The Nepali Congress has stated that the formation of the parliamentary panel investigating cooperative fund misuse is a top priority for any future House session to be held smoothly. The party will continue to disrupt the House session even during the next session, which will be the budget session of parliament, which begins in about two weeks. If Congress views this as a party’s prestige issue, it may disrupt the presentation of the national budget, compelling the government to reconsider its stance. All of the circumstances mentioned above indicate that the government is in a fluid situation. Even if a smaller party pulls out of the coalition, the government will collapse. It is said that the leader, Madhav Nepal, chair of a key partner, the Unified Socialist, is not happy with his treatment by the Prime Minister and UML chair. 

Meanwhile, some leaders are said to be working to bring two parties, the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the current hung parliament, and the second largest party, the UML, together. Several Congress leaders have rallied to seek support from the UML with a view to forming a government of two parties. According to several analysts, the idea of these two parties joining forces to form a new government has gained traction as a result of the rapid changes in government, which have only put the nation on the path of instability. They claim that if Nepali Congress and the UML work together, they can address many flaws in our constitution, governance structure, and parliamentary shortcomings. Because aaddressing these concerns can set the country on a course towards political stability, progress, and good governance. 

(Upadhyay is former managing editor of this daily.)