From repeated promises of zero tolerance to a new integrity policy, Nepal’s challenge remains the same: turning political commitments into effective action and holding those in power accountable
KATHMANDU: On the occasion of Bada Dashain tika, at 7:17 AM on October 21, Prime Minister Balendra Shah called upon everyone through his personal Facebook page to unite to end corruption, misgovernance, administrative delays, inequality, and political distortion.
He connected the festival, celebrated as a symbol of the victory of truth over falsehood, with the collective resolve to improve the country’s governance system. Describing corruption and misgovernance as demonic tendencies, he stated that citizens must be made to feel that there is a government for them.
Prime Minister Shah has written, “Today, it is necessary for all of us to unite to eliminate corruption, misgovernance, delays, inequality, and political malady which are in the form of demonic tendencies, and to make every citizen feel that there is a government for us.”
Mentioning that Bijaya Dashami inspires the abandonment of negative tendencies like arrogance, greed, envy, violence, and discrimination, he stated that behavior along with thinking must be changed for transformation. Such a message inspiring citizens to improve their conduct is important. But the problem of corruption is not limited only to personal greed or moral weakness.
Opaque government decisions, appointments with conflicts of interest, collusive public procurement, and impunity institutionalize it. Therefore, along with individual honesty, laws to prevent the abuse of power, independent monitoring, and an accountable administrative system are necessary.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah. File photo
This is the question raised by Shah’s message. Declared differences among Nepal’s political leadership regarding the need to control corruption are rarely seen. Previous prime ministers also had committed to adopting a strict policy against corruption. Since those commitments repeated in different words could not turn into expected results, more evidence than expressions is expected from today’s leadership.
Old commitment of zero tolerance
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, while asking for a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives on July 21, 2024, said that his government would adopt a strict policy against corruption. He had said, “We will not do corruption. We will not tolerate corruption, we will not let anyone do corruption.”
Oli had also committed to investigate corruption incidents that occurred in any era and bring the guilty within the scope of legal action. His statement was to establish that a person involved in corruption reaches the dock of law one day. He repeated such commitments in various contexts and eras.
Before that, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) had also presented corruption control as the main priority of the government. Informing the diplomatic community in Nepal about the government’s priorities on May 15, 2023, he had committed to maintaining a policy of zero tolerance on corruption and ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels.
He had also put forward matters of making public administration capable and effective and providing quality services to citizens.
Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. File photo
Dahal had also stated on the occasion of the establishment day of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) that the government’s support would remain for the bodies investigating against corruption. He raised the matter that legal and institutional reforms are necessary for controlling corruption.
Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had also made a similar commitment on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, 2022. He had urged the strict implementation of the policy of zero tolerance against corruption in all mechanisms and levels of the state.
In his message was the necessity to make government work agile, complete development projects at scheduled cost and time, and give general citizens the feeling of good governance.
All three former prime ministers see no basic difference in the goal of corruption control. Oli emphasized the commitment to preventing corruption. Dahal raised matters of investigation, transparency, and accountability. Deuba stated that good governance should be maintained by activating all mechanisms of the state. Zero tolerance in corruption was the declared policy of all of them.
This does not mean those governments made no effort for corruption control. But making commitments and implementing them effectively are different things. Even if political leadership changes, if institutions and processes stopping corruption are not effective, the problem can repeat.
Prime Minister Shah’s call should also be evaluated in this background. The basis to consider the new government more effective than previous prime ministers should not be harsh words but visible results.
Nine-year-long wait for the integrity policy
To understand the distance between anti-corruption commitments and efforts to institutionalize them, the history of the national integrity policy is a useful example. While assuming the prime ministerial post on June 7, 2017, Deuba had signed the proposal to make the national integrity policy.
That same year, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers had prepared the draft of the policy. But after that, even though various governments changed, the policy could not be issued. Even when Deuba became prime minister again in 2021, the draft did not get final shape.
Former Prime Minister Sushila Karki. File photo
Later, long discussions happened on this in the Development, Economic Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the National Assembly. The report prepared by the committee after consulting various stakeholders was submitted to the then Prime Minister Sushila Karki. Looking at the creation process of the national integrity policy, it is seen that the policy was issued only after the involvement of various governments, parliamentary committees, and government officials.
Finally, the Shah-led government made public the National Integrity Policy, 2026, on July 6, 2026. Immediately after that, it also brought the second national strategic plan against corruption. The integrity policy has covered subjects including the conduct of public officials, asset disclosures, conflict of interest, institutional code of conduct, and regular monitoring.
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