On Balen and his unwillingness to speak to the media

Balen was an excellent communicator during campaign season. He had outlined a vision for Kathmandu that prioritized its history. He appealed to the Newars by describing how important Newari architecture was to him. He made promises to people. He gave talks in podcasts about his skills as a structural engineer and how he will apply that skillset to conduct his operations as Mayor. He wanted to fix the traffic problem. He wanted to make education better. He promised to give free check ups for old people. He said he would create an infrastructure ambulance.

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We all bought it. That’s because Balen did a great job selling it. He seemed like a larger than life figure, a rapper with politically charged lines and a zeal to improve the country. Then he disappeared! Gone. Not a word to the people about anything. As he abused the Mayoral seat by sending Nagar Prahari out onto the streets to harass vendors, he did not speak. As people rallied against his plans for the slums, he did not speak. As people protested his seemingly unplanned and haphazard bulldozing, he did not speak. It is pathetic and quite confounding how his ability to communicate disappeared overnight.

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Right now, I cannot describe Balen in a good light for we have not had exposure to Mayor Balen. EVER. He must believe that addressing the Nagar Sabha in a stage and the Nagarpalika in the live stream is enough for the people. Balen is immature and incapable of governing. When people defend Balen or feel that he has been unfairly criticized, they talk about the good and the bad that Balen has done. We judge a leader not just on their actions but also based on their character. Balen’s character has been wishy washy at best, concerningly insincere at best. How can a man who was able to express his ideas with such clarity act as if he suffers from constant brain fog?

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I mean, what is he trying to achieve? Does anyone know? Does he believe we are meant to deduce what his up to from his series of flaccid and disjointed attempts at change? It is poor political strategy in Balen’s part to be silent about what he is actually doing and plans to do. It is irresponsible in Balen’s team’s part for allowing Balen to be silent. When he does not answer to the public, the public and namely the media are able to create their own narratives. Balen is losing out by not explaining to the people what he is doing.

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Good governance requires a feedback loop–there must be open and transparent communication between the people and the leaders governing. Balen refusing to speak to the media or hold press conferences after major scandals is him digging his own grave due to his immaturity. I have not been satisfied with the Balen Administration the day he started going after the vendors without offering a solution. However, I am glad he won the election . I have met the guy. He does not seem like someone who would be shy of talking to people. However, the fact that he stopped all comms immediately after winning the election suggests that he did not really care.

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My belief is that Balen was content with RONB being his propaganda machine. His interactions with mostly his fans on twitter meant he was not met with much criticism. Essentially, Balen did not realize what he signed up for. His team has been woefully underprepared for the challenge ahead. What I want is not for Balen to fumble and fail. We have someone new and I would like Balen and his team to run the administration as fluently as possible–with as little hiccups as possible. Press conferences where smart journalists from all the media houses can question Balen on his actions would check the boyish man and his ego. It would force him to think harder. It would force his team to come up with better strategy.

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The longer Balen stays out of this kind of scrutiny, the deeper the hole for him becomes. We should not wish this on him. We must demand more from the Mayor we had such high expectations of.

View on Reddit by Cap_g