Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party retured to Nakhhu Prison on Saturday. In a lengthy Facebook statement posted before departing for Nakkhu Prison, he said he will present himself to authorities and pressed the interim government to pursue parallel investigations into protester deaths and attacks on state property, outlining a five-point agenda to curb political patronage and restore merit across public institutions.
In a Facebook statement posted before departing for Nakhhu Prison, Lamichhane framed the move as a personal test of accountability. “As a birthday gift to myself, I am once again sending myself to prison,” he said, as quoted by his Facebook statement. He added that his earlier release was handled to protect the prison from crowds and said no officials should face consequences over the paperwork. “No jailer or Home Secretary should be troubled because of me—I take full responsibility,” he said, as quoted by his Facebook statement.
Lamichhane urged the interim administration to accept that “whatever the constitutional background of the interim government, it is now the country’s reality,” and said he would support it if it “walks the right path,” as quoted by his Facebook statement. He called for legal action against decision-makers who, he said, ordered live fire that killed young protesters and for accountability for those who set government buildings ablaze.
He paired that appeal with five demands:
• Investigate policy decisions and assets of senior officials since 1990.
• Cancel all political appointments across government in a single decision.
• Open the path for reappointment and re-evaluation “from clerks to judges.”
• End political appointments in universities and install meritocracy.
• Apply the same standard to all ambassadorial posts.
He warned that partial measures would preserve entrenched interests. “If even one head survives, Rawan survives,” he said, as quoted by his Facebook statement.
Addressing controversy over his release and subsequent unrest, Lamichhane said the administration’s immediate goal then was to safeguard the prison, not him, and that he had been unfairly blamed for broader disorder. “I’ve endured major conspiracies,” he said, while insisting he would not allow any staff to be “troubled” over the release letter, as quoted by his Facebook statement.
Lamichhane also urged party members to avoid vendettas and focus on building the RSP’s organizational capacity. “We have no need to seek revenge against old political parties,” he said. “We must build the capacity to defeat them through healthy electoral competition—alone if possible, together if necessary,” as quoted by his Facebook statement.
He appealed to RSP workers nationwide to coordinate with local administrations and contribute labor to reconstruction after days of damage. He said elections should be held on time and pledged to help increase public pressure to keep the process on track.
Lamichhane closed by expressing solidarity with families who lost children during recent unrest, adding that he would be available to meet them. “If I must contribute something, I am here—in this very Nakhhu prison. Please come visit,” he said, as quoted by his Facebook statement.
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