In a bold move against corruption, the GenZ Movement Alliance—a coalition of various youth groups and activists—has called on Prem Kumar Rai, the Chief Commissioner of Nepal’s Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), along with all other commissioners, to step down voluntarily right away.
The alliance, which ties into the broader GenZ uprising against graft, argues that their resignations are essential to bolster the fight. “Our campaign, kicked off on August 9, aims straight at wiping out corruption and the culture of getting away with it,” reads their statement. “But the folks leading the CIAA got their jobs through a process that wasn’t fair or democratic at all. That’s why the whole commission has lost public trust.”
They point fingers at the previous government under KP Sharma Oli, claiming it bypassed parliamentary hearings to appoint Rai and the rest. That shortcut, they say, has seriously undermined the agency’s independence and fairness.
The group didn’t stop there—they pulled in a fresh ruling from the Special Court, which slams the CIAA’s prosecution setup and questions Rai’s own impartiality. The court’s remarks on his “conflicts of interest” and “selective prosecutions” have only fueled the push for him to go.
And it’s not just talk; the statement digs into major scandals where Rai’s fingerprints seem to show up. Top of the list: the Nepal Oil Corporation’s shady land deal, the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, and the controversial widebody plane buyout. “These messes happened on his watch, either directly or as a key overseer,” the alliance charges. “Time for him to own the moral fallout and quit—that’s the only way to rebuild the CIAA’s reputation and faith in it.”
With no federal parliament in session, impeachment’s off the table, so resignation is the cleanest path forward, they insist. They’ve also nudged the interim government to set up a transparent selection panel through open calls, ensuring new commissioners come from a real merit-based contest—not some insider’s shortlist. “No more backroom deals; let every qualified Nepali have a fair shot,” the release demands.
If Rai ignores their email plea? The alliance is ready to escalate. Come tomorrow, October 7 at 10 a.m., they’ll file a formal petition at CIAA headquarters. And if push comes to shove, peaceful protests outside the office are next on deck. They’ve already looped in the Prime Minister’s and President’s offices via email, too.
One of the key organizers, Amit Khanal, told Onlinekhabar: “We’ve reached out to him personally through email, and made it public. If he doesn’t clear the way himself, we’re prepped to rally peacefully right at the CIAA gates.”
The alliance packs a punch, drawing from 12 GenZ outfits across 39 districts. It’s a sign that Nepal’s youth aren’t backing down in their quest for cleaner governance.
