I am a Gorkhali.

'Even in courts, appoint Brahmins to examine Thakuris strictly, appoint Magars thoughtfully, and place a Pandit behind every desk to ensure that justice is administered according to the scriptures. No court money should enter the palace.'

- Nation-builder His Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah

In the mid-19th century, when a delegation of forty Nepali soldiers went to Tibet for negotiations, the Tibetans denied them food in the bitter cold, leading to the death of thirty-eight representatives. Similarly, a diplomatic mission from Nepal to Beijing in the 1850s endured serious mistreatment and even deaths in Tibet. This experience became the primary justification for Jung Bahadur Rana to launch the Nepal-Tibet War of 1855–56. Leading fourteen thousand troops, Jung Bahadur subdued Tibet in thirteen months and struck down two Chinese forts. For history enthusiasts, it is notable that at the request of Queen Victoria of Britain, Jung Bahadur crushed the Indian soldiers' rebellion in forty-nine days.

Across the globe, leaders like the Malagasy generals removed directly elected executive presidents after five years; yet, in Nepal, the debate for a directly elected executive continues. The Constitution of Nepal enshrines federalism as a fundamental principle, recognizing proportional representation to ensure inclusivity and diversity. Today, however, a rising demand is for a directly elected Prime Minister. Proponents argue that only a direct mandate from the people can ensure stability, accountability, and a strong executive. They contend that it is the only way to end the repeated instability caused by fragile coalitions and the undue influence of small parties. Critics, however, warn that such a system could undermine the spirit of proportional representation that the Constitution guarantees for inclusivity and diversity.

Both perspectives contain elements of truth. A directly elected Prime Minister can be attractive to an informed electorate, provide stability, and offer long-term vision. Yet, in practice, weakening proportional representation risks undermining Nepal's democratic soul. The real challenge, however, goes far beyond system design; it lies in governance and corruption, which have captured every level of power and every ministry. The bitter reality is that party dynasties, nepotism, and the sale of reserved positions have consolidated parliamentary control, allowing corruption to flourish. Security agencies' merit systems are destabilized, judges hesitate to act under threat of impeachment, and the country teeters on the brink of collapse.

Federalism without accountability

Federalism was meant to bring governance closer to the people, ensure good governance, and control corruption. Instead, the outcome has been the exact opposite. Local governments-municipalities, rural municipalities, and provincial assemblies-have become extravagant, feudal-like courts. Mayors and deputy mayors enjoy vehicles, drivers, fuel, customs privileges, and myriad allowances. Ward chairs and provincial lawmakers consume state resources as if they were personal property.

Recent examples, such as provincial governments distributing cash to party workers as 'Dashain allowances,' reveal the real face of federalism. Who investigates such actions? Who punishes the guilty? Accountability is absent. Federalism, introduced to bring governance closer to citizens, has instead become a factory producing corruption.

Systemic corruption: The silent killer

Policy-level corruption is far more dangerous than petty bribery or misuse of allowances. It captures laws, policies, and regulatory bodies, giving structural corruption a veneer of legitimacy. Forests and government land are encroached upon, but buffer-zone communities are denied rights. Under the banner of development, IPOs are issued while Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), which could uplift Nepal like in other Asian nations, are stifled. Cable cars and hill stations are built with cost-cutting measures that destroy trees and ignore the community, yet IPOs are floated to raise funds. Across the country, from Pathibhara to Mahakali, policy corruption is rampant. Leaders responsible for policing, policy, and oversight often operate from the private chambers of political families, not from public policy forums.

Hotels, industries, and other sectors follow the same pattern. Hyatt in Kathmandu received right shares under pressure from top Congress families, despite failing to meet standards. Trade Centers constructed on leased government land were issued IPOs as if privately owned. Many court-pending companies had their IPOs approved unusually quickly, all under pressure from top political leadership.

Honest private enterprises, which could have been funded through crowdfunding, were discouraged. Crony capitalism was promoted. The Nepal Trust leased government assets according to specifications, yet no one ensures accountability when these assets are misused. Systemic corruption has become a silent killer in Nepal, preventing both development and justice.

Airports, aviation, and national shame

Pokhara and Lumbini International Airports were envisioned as gateways to prosperity. Today, they symbolize failure. Pokhara Airport was built with loans but sees virtually no international flights. Lumbini Airport suffers the same fate. Billions were spent, yet there is no strategic integration with airlines or tourism. These airports, which should have transformed the nation's image, have instead become inert monuments, burdened by strategic debt and corruption in cost reporting.

CAAN (Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal) has become a political parking lot rather than a regulatory authority. Safety standards, airspace modernization, and airport management are hostage to politics and profiteering. Today, Nepal's airports are symbols of national shame.

Ministers and their complicity

Nepal's corruption is neither hidden nor accidental; its protectors are well-known.

Minister Badri Pandey has weakened Nepal–India relations and Western partnerships while promoting Chinese cultural communism, effectively inviting Chinese cultural colonization that destabilized Nepal's diplomatic balance. Minister Dipak Khadka misused Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), hoarding hundreds and blocking agreements in dollars or foreign currency, impeding foreign investment in hydropower. Political cover allowed Hyatt in Kathmandu, Trade Centers, and other prominent institutions to pass IPOs, right shares, and policy favors through partisan networks. These are not isolated incidents-they form the DNA of today's governance.

Additionally, a policy broker and cable car money transfer master manipulated approvals and financial flows, bypassing proper oversight. These events reveal how deeply corruption is embedded in governance, impacting every sector.

Other ministries: The web of corruption

This is not limited to tourism or energy. The Ministry of Labor has become an industry for brain drain, pushing millions of youth abroad. The Ministry of Industry has drowned entrepreneurship in licenses, permissions, and bribery. From financial regulators to labor, tourism, and CAAN, every institution is captured by party operatives. Securities boards and regulatory authorities, rather than remaining independent, are instruments of political pressure.

A nation held hostage

Reflecting on the words of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, Nepal must fulfill its responsibility: 'Do not allow injustice in the nation. Those who give or receive bribes are guilty, but the wise rulers must act.'

Consider Singapore: decades ago, it was a city overrun with crime, gangs, and trafficking. Under Lee Kuan Yew, the government banned gangs and secret societies, established an honest, capable police force, and imposed strict penalties on drugs and theft. Opportunities and housing were provided to the poor. Within a few years, the gangs were dismantled, the streets safe, and Singapore transformed from a crime-ridden island to a secure, prosperous nation.

Today, Nepal is held hostage by corruption and dynastic politics. Policies serve cronies, not citizens. Federalism has failed. Debates on direct elections remain shallow. When ministries and regulators are captured by nepotism and partisan operatives, even a directly elected Prime Minister alone cannot ensure reform.

My belief

I write not from despair, but hope. Nepal can still be reformed, but it requires courage. Structural reductions are essential. Local governments must shrink by at least 60%-only small, capable, and accountable institutions can function effectively. IPOs, leases, and right share approvals must be reviewed by independent bodies. Pokhara and Lumbini airports should be strategically integrated with tourism, airlines, and agricultural supply chains. Financial and insurance regulators must be insulated from political appointments and operate as think tanks. Nepal Airlines must be immediately brought under PPP, following a clearly defined framework.

Foreign policy must maintain balance. Nepal cannot become a colony. Sovereignty must be preserved while attracting investment. Rising dissatisfaction among the hills, plains, and urban-rural populations, coupled with the risk of street protests and external interference, must be addressed through dialogue, development, and respect. Violence can no longer be a path to change.

Corruption has poisoned the nation like a slow-acting toxin. Public and private assets have been destroyed; opportunities for youth abroad are blocked; and Nepali citizens face increasing hardships. I believe an honest consensus is required: alliances above party lines, based on a shared anti-corruption agenda. Young people, entrepreneurs, and the diaspora must see that Nepal is led by accountable governance, not dynasties or corrupt elites.

State failure must be exposed and corrected

Identify those who burned jails, aided escapes, or acted for foreign interests; prosecute them according to the law. Identify looters and corrupt actors. Protect and empower loyal public servants. Establish a national guard with high standards, competitive pay, rigorous selection, and international advisory support, modeled on Singapore and Dubai.

Bring the world's best planners to design a national development roadmap, prioritizing tourism, industry, and infrastructure with clear targets. Launch free quality education, a zero-tolerance anti-corruption campaign, and an effective economic strategy, implemented lawfully, decisively, and transparently. Nepal can achieve a national revival, not mere reconstruction.

Nepal stands at the same crossroads where Malaysia stood before Mahathir Mohammad, and Singapore before Lee Kuan Yew. We either remain trapped in corruption and dynastic politics or undertake bold reform with courage.

Federalism without accountability is anarchy. A directly elected Prime Minister without institutional reform is authoritarianism. Airports without strategy are wasted expenditure. Diplomacy without balance is national suicide.

Therefore, courageous reform and strategic leadership are urgently required. The Nepali people still deserve honest governance. It is no longer the time for cosmetic politics-it is the time for fearless leadership.

Walk forward, new youth of Nepal, remembering the legacy of our ancestors.

Rajendra Bajgain