Nepal’s rapper turned politician, Balendra Shah, has been sworn in as prime minister following a decisive victory in the country’s first election since last year’s deadly anti corruption protests.
Shah, 35, who leads the Rastriya Swatantra Party, took the oath of office on Friday, March 27, after his party secured a commanding majority in the March 5 elections, winning 182 out of 275 seats in the House of Representatives.
At the swearing in ceremony, Shah, dressed in black with his signature dark sunglasses, pledged allegiance to the country’s constitution.
“I, Balendra Shah, in the name of the country and people, pledge that I will be loyal to the constitution,” Shah said as Supporters at the ceremony responded with cheers and chants as he formally assumed office.
His rise to power follows months of political unrest triggered by anti corruption protests that claimed at least 77 lives.
The demonstrations, initially sparked by a short lived social media ban, grew into a broader expression of public anger over economic hardship in the country of 30 million people.
Popularly known as Balen, Shah had remained largely silent after his election victory until Thursday evening, when he released a rap song outlining his vision for the country.
“The strength of unity is my national power,” Shah sang in the track, which quickly gained traction online.
READ ALSO: Rapper-Turned-Politician Balendra Shah Secures Landslide Victory In Nepal Elections
“My heart is full of courage, my red blood is boiling; my brothers stand with me, this time we will rise. May my breath not run out; I will run like a leopard,” he said.
The song, accompanied by campaign footage, has attracted nearly three million views across social media and streaming platforms.
Shah campaigned alongside Rastriya Swatantra Party president Rabi Lamichhane, a former deputy prime minister and interior minister, who remains a key figure in the new administration.
Shortly after Shah’s message was released, outgoing interim Nepal prime minister Sushila Karki addressed the nation, expressing confidence in the incoming government.
“I am confident that the new government to be formed under the leadership of the youth will work towards ending corruption in the country, establishing good governance, creating jobs within the country, economic development and social justice,” she said.
“I am looking forward to the bright future of this country with full confidence — where our unity, honesty and the hard work of every citizen will write a new history,” she added.
Karki, who led the caretaker administration for six months, also disclosed that findings from an investigation into the crackdown on protesters would be made public, although she did not provide a timeline.
At least 19 young people were killed on the first day of the protest crackdown, with no convictions recorded so far.