On Saturday at 3pm, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah wrote a Facebook status that made many people both concerned and curious about the reason behind such a pessimistic status.

His Facebook status—“Today, they are conspiring to compel me to resign from the mayor’s post, this country will never progress”—got over 22,000 comments and over 8,000 shares with curious questions from the public as of Sunday evening.

A few hours later, after hundreds of people commented on the status, and speculations spiralled, Shah wrote another status. This time, he stated that he was resolute, determined and fearless: “I don’t give up.”

To understand why the mayor had posted such a statement, the Post contacted officials at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City including those at his secretariat. Many said there was no need for the mayor to ring the alarm bell.

His close aides said the status emanated from his ‘frustration’ with the federal government and provincial government, which, Shah felt, were not cooperating with him.

“We don’t know why Mayor Shah wrote such a status,” said Nabin Manandhar, spokesperson for the City. He said the municipal officials are working under the City’s guidelines, and have not done anything without his consent. He also said that the mayor had not clarified what he wrote.

However, Sunil Lamsal, a member of Shah’s secretariat, said the mayor was frustrated at the lack of cooperation from the federal and provincial governments.

In December last year, the metropolis had approached the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking help to evict the squatters from Thapathali. Shah had asked the ministry to coordinate with the District Administration Office and security agencies to oust the squatters from government land but the ministry had ignored his request.

An earlier attempt by the metropolis to evict the squatters at the request of the Bagmati River Basin Development Project on November 28 was thwarted by the squatters occupying the government land. At least 21 people were injured following a clash between the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police personnel and squatters.

“Even the City had lodged a police complaint against several individuals involved in attacking our city police, but they did nothing,” said Lamsal. He quoted the mayor as saying that some ‘unidentified people’ were threatening Shah and his family by showing up near his residence at Gairigaun, but the home ministry did nothing to address the matter either.

Shah even accused the central government of not coordinating with the City in evacuating the illegal squatter settlement. He also brought up the issue of how the retaining walls built by the metropolis on Manohara river with an investment of Rs9 million were destroyed.

“It seems that the central government does not want to see Mayor Shah work effectively,” said Lamsal. “It just wants the mayor to stay in office doing nothing, that’s what his Facebook status suggests.”

Even though Shah’s remarks indicate that people were conspiring to make him resign, there are no constitutional or legal clauses that can force a mayor to quit. Article 216(8) of the Constitution specifies how the offices of the mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairperson or member become vacant.

The position becomes vacant only “if the mayor tenders resignation in writing to the deputy mayor, and if the deputy mayor tenders resignation in writing before the mayor, (b) if his or her term of office expires, (c) if he or she dies.”

However, urban planners and other experts who have been closely observing Shah’s activities say he was trying his best to solve City’s problems, but has failed to bring about intended results in the absence of study, preparation, and consultation with stakeholders.

Although Shah’s campaign to demolish illegal structures drew cheers from the public at large, many raised concerns too, as he started removing vendors from the streets. Many structures demolished by the City lie ruined.

In just nearly over nine months in office, Shah took up more than half a dozen tasks—he vowed to solve the garbage problem, tried to remove footpath traders, pulled down digital hoarding boards, dug up Tukucha to restore the encroached river, re-introduced a ban on smoking in public spaces, attempted to remove squatters from Thapathali and decided on an underground parking lot at Khula Manch. All these actions lie unfinished.

Other ward representatives expressed surprise at Shah’s remarks. They suggested he hold back the urge to voice his frustrations publicly as he still has much time to prove himself. “All the elected members including board members have helped him, and there is a cordial relationship with the mayor. I see no reason for his desperation,” said Nawaraj Parajuli, the chairperson of Kathmandu's ward-32.