Balendra Shah’s Facebook page used to hold power to account. Now it holds power.
Summary
Balendra Shah has shifted his Facebook use from criticizing power as Kathmandu mayor to announcing government decisions and offering reassurances as prime minister. The essay argues that his page now helps set the narrative in Nepal without the same public accountability it once carried.
Key Points
- Balendra Shah now uses his Facebook page mainly to announce decisions and reassure the public, unlike his mayoral years when he used it to challenge power and demand accountability.
- The essay says his attacks on opponents, use of numbers, and public targeting of officials have largely stopped since he became prime minister.
- Shah has used Facebook to announce major government moves, including dropping a 3 percent fee on private schools and hospitals before formal cabinet communication.
- The piece argues that Shah’s page remains one of Nepal’s most powerful political accounts, but it no longer functions as a platform for scrutiny and questioning.
