In the heart of Kathmandu, a new era of political activism has erupted, led by Nepal’s Generation Z. The events of early September 2025 have not only shaken the Himalayan nation to its core but also signaled a profound generational shift in power and priorities. The catalyst: a deadly confrontation between protesters and authorities that left scores dead, the government toppled, and, for the first time in Nepal’s history, a woman at the helm as interim prime minister.
On September 8, 2025, what began as a peaceful anti-corruption demonstration outside Nepal’s Parliament quickly spiraled into chaos. According to NPR, police opened fire as protesters—many young and frustrated with the status quo—attempted to breach the Parliament’s walls. The violence was immediate and tragic: at least 19 activists, including a 12-year-old schoolboy, were killed in a shootout at Naya Baneshwor, and the official death toll over the next two days would rise to at least 72, including three police officers. Thousands more were wounded, and the city was left reeling.
“Our movement was motivated by two things: unemployment and government corruption,” explained Abhiyan Sapkota, a 27-year-old civil engineer who joined the protests, as reported by NPR. The sense of injustice was palpable. Young Nepalis had been highlighting the stark contrast between the opulent lifestyles of the political elite and the daily struggles of ordinary citizens. Social media campaigns, featuring hashtags like #NepoKids, exposed the luxury enjoyed by the children of politicians—images of designer bags and European vacations stood in sharp contrast to the average Nepali’s annual income of less than $1,500.
The government’s response only fueled the fire. On September 8, authorities abruptly banned 26 social media sites, citing a Supreme Court order. Yet, as Supreme Court Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut clarified days later, “The Supreme Court had not ordered the government to shut down social media sites.” Instead, the court had merely urged the government to regulate social media through legislation, a common international practice. The ban was lifted that very night, but not before it had become a rallying cry for the youth-led movement.
The violence that followed was unprecedented. Mobs retaliated by torching government buildings, looting banks and shops, and attacking politicians’ homes. The Singha Durbar, Nepal’s main administrative building, was engulfed in flames. The army imposed a curfew, checkpoints dotted the streets, and the capital was left in a state of siege. Yet, amid the turmoil, young people organized street clean-ups, candlelight vigils, and hospital visits to check on the injured—a testament to their determination and resilience.
As the death toll mounted and pressure intensified, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s government began to unravel. On September 9, hundreds of protesters stormed Oli’s office, demanding his resignation. By day’s end, the 73-year-old leader had stepped down and disappeared from public view. In his first statement since being deposed, Oli vehemently denied responsibility for the bloodshed, insisting, “The government didn’t order to shoot at the demonstrators. The bullets were fired at the protesters from automatic guns, which were not possessed by the police personnel, and this must be investigated.” He blamed “infiltrators” for the violence, a claim that did little to quell the outrage.
The Gen Z group, which had been at the forefront of the protests, was unsparing in its demands. At a press conference in Kathmandu, Dr. Nicholas Bhushal, an adviser to the movement, called for the immediate arrest of Oli, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Chief District Officer Chhabi Rijal. “All three were directly accountable for the Naya Baneshwor incident,” Bhushal told reporters. The group also demanded the formation of a high-level commission to investigate the wealth of senior political leaders and government officials dating back to 1990—a clear sign that the fight against corruption was far from over.
Gen Z activists staged sit-ins at Maitighar Mandala, near the Singhdurbar Secretariat, retracing the route of their September 8 rally. Their message was unmistakable: Nepal’s youth would no longer tolerate corruption, impunity, or a government out of touch with its people. “Step back a little,” urged Pratima Gautam, a member of the Nepali Congress party’s central working committee, reflecting on the protesters’ message to the political old guard.
The rapid fall of Oli’s government and the subsequent appointment of Sushila Karki as interim prime minister marked a watershed moment in Nepal’s political history. Karki, a former chief justice renowned for her anti-corruption stance, became the nation’s first female prime minister on September 12. Her appointment, following online polls on platforms like Discord, was widely celebrated by the youth. The popular Instagram account Genz.Nepal summed up the mood with a post: “PM Sushila Karki… SLAYYY 💅🏼.”
Karki’s ascension was not just symbolic; it was a direct response to the demands of a generation disillusioned by decades of political instability and elite rule. As Ashish Pradhan of the International Crisis Group told NPR, “Over the last 10 years, all three individuals who have traded the prime minister’s chair have had pretty serious corruption allegations against them.” The anti-corruption watchdog, he noted, had often been used to target political opponents rather than tackle systemic misuse of funds.
The Gen Z uprising in Nepal is part of a broader wave of youth-led movements across South Asia, from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh, where entrenched regimes have been challenged by citizens facing economic hardship, inflation, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. “The kind of international order and the checks and balances that were there in the glory days of the 1990s and parts of the 2000s have slowly eroded over time,” Pradhan observed, noting that governments now often resort to force, believing they can act with impunity.
Yet, as Nepal prepares for elections early next year, the challenge for Karki’s interim government is clear: maintain order, pursue justice, and avoid the politics of retribution. Political analyst Chandradev Bhatta cautioned that Nepal has a long history of regime changes through street protests, with more than a dozen governments in the past decade alone. “If it was happening for the first time, I wouldn’t have minded because we needed the change. But we’ve written seven constitutions in more than 70 years,” Bhatta remarked, highlighting the country’s chronic instability.
For now, however, the message from Nepal’s youth is unmistakable. They have forced a reckoning with corruption and inequality, toppled a government, and ushered in new leadership. Whether this marks the beginning of lasting change or simply another chapter in Nepal’s tumultuous political saga remains to be seen, but the determination and hope on display suggest the country is at a genuine crossroads.