Former Water Resources Minister Dipak Gyawali has said that the idea of a directly elected executive president would be disastrous for Nepal. Speaking at an event organized by GenZ Alliance for Monarchy in Kathmandu on Saturday, he issued a strong warning against adopting such a governance model.
Gyawali, who is also a water-resources expert, argued that those proposing this system are attempting to push the country toward authoritarianism. He emphasized the need for a strong public debate on the matter.
Gyawali said,
“A directly elected executive president—nothing could be more dangerous for Nepal. This would create leaders like Lhendup Dorjee or Zelensky. Even under an indirect system, you’ve seen what kind of leaders Oli and Deuba have been. If it were direct, who knows what they would do? They could even merge Nepal into India and no one would be able to speak.”
He further said:
“What we need is a stronger separation of powers and an effective check and balance system. There are other ways to ensure a stable government in Nepal. A directly elected executive president will not bring stability—it will bring dictatorship. We must strongly engage in this debate, or else the country could face serious consequences.”
During the event, Gyawali also accused KP Oli and Sher Bahadur Deuba of weakening the country.
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