Narayan Manandhar
After watching more than three hour long, two-part interview with former Chief of the CIAA Mr. Lok Man Singh Karki (LMSK) one is forced to ask the question: What is the probability of re-hiring him as the Chief of the CIAA? Obviously, the interview Inside the Bunker (refer Youtube) must have been strategically designed for his appointment or re-appointment.
Earlier, in 2016, after serving more than three years, out of six-year tenure, he was unceremoniously kicked out from his position by the Supreme Court, purely under technical ground of disqualification. In fact, it saved him from possible impeachment that was under subjudice in the parliament. The person who kicked him out is no other than Mrs Sushila Karki, the then Chief Justice and recently outgoing interim PM of the country.
The interview is interesting in a sense that it details insider views leading to his departure from the CIAA. I do remember writing and publishing nearly half a dozen materials on the issue in the local papers. It was a kind of high voltage drama enacted in the annals of corruption history of corruption and anti-corruption in Nepal. The point of writing this material is not to shed light on what went wrong with LMSK but to speculate on his re-appointment. He may or may not be appointed as the Chief of the CIAA or the Chief of the property investigation commission that the government may be contemplating. The critical indicator to watch at this point is: Who will occupy the seat of the Deputy Speaker? With near two-third RSP majority in the parliament and its Speaker in the position, the Deputy Speaker may sounds like a frivolous position but she (definitely, it is she) can have a decisive impact on decision making process via Constitutional Council. My answer to the question will be: 50:50.
There are two driving forces - for and against- his appointment. He perfectly fits with the agenda of Gen-Z government. It is not good governance and anti-corruption agenda but his punitive approach to fighting corruption. This perfectly blends with the present government. In my earlier writing I dwelt on the punitive approach taken by nearly all political parties contesting elections. His animosity with the mainstream political parties and their leaders that initiated impeachment motion and designed his ousting also perfectly fits with the agenda of political vendetta of RSP government. His mere appointment is expected to put as much psychological pressure on mainstream political leaders as the appointment of Mrs Sushila Karki - duped as the mother Gen-Z Movement- as the PM to head the interim government. To add insult to the injury, I hope, Balen has not forgotten Dr Ram Narayan Sah’s trouble with the CIAA.
But the disfavoring factor(s) is Mrs Sushila Karki and her home minister Mr Om Prakash Aryal. The duo were in a pact since the days of LMSK days. In the interview, one can clearly grasp deeper remorse of LMSK with the duo. With this reasoning one can conclude: He will be appointed if Lamichhane factor is under play and otherwise if Balen factor becomes prominent. For a commoner like us, whatever unfolds, the drama going to be pretty interesting and exciting.
(Disclaimer: This scribe was involved in drafting the CIAA’s Strategic Plan 2014-19 during the tenure of LMSK.)
