Nepal’s Gen Z Anti-Corruption Protest Shakes Government as Prime Minister Resigns

Background and Lead-Up to the Protest

The immediate flashpoint for the protests was the Nepali government’s decision to block 26 major social media platforms – including Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram – on September 4, 2025. Authorities claimed the ban was necessary because these platforms failed to register locally by a set deadline, and argued the move was aimed at curbing fake accounts, cybercrime, and the spread of hateful content. Critics, however, denounced the shutdown as an undemocratic attempt to muzzle dissent and control information. In the weeks leading up to the ban, Nepali social media had been dominated by a trending “Nepo Baby” conversation highlighting how the children of powerful politicians enjoyed lavish lifestyles and privileges, fueling public anger over nepotism and corruption. Many observers believe the government’s drastic censorship was prompted by this surge of online criticism targeting the political elite’s perceived favoritism.

Beyond the social media controversy, long-simmering grievances set the stage for a broader anti-corruption movement. Nepal’s young generation has grown increasingly disillusioned by the country’s governance: youth unemployment hovers around 20% and thousands of Nepalis leave the country daily for work abroad, while the same aging leaders have cycled in and out of power since the republic was formed in 2008. Allegations of high-level graft are widespread – nearly every recent prime minister has been implicated in scandals ranging from illegal land deals to procurement kickbacks. This backdrop of economic stagnation, joblessness, and perceived impunity for the well-connected created a powder keg of public frustration. The government’s blanket social media ban was seen as the final trigger that caused these latent frustrations to erupt onto the streets.

In response, a loose coalition of students and young professionals began organizing peaceful demonstrations. A nonprofit group called Hami Nepal (Nepali for “We Are Nepal”), which began as a youth volunteer movement in 2015, stepped in to coordinate a rally in Kathmandu on September 8. Organizers – notably Hami Nepal’s chairperson, Sudhan Gurung – emphasized that the protest was a non-partisan civic action “in response to government actions and corruption,” and they pointedly asked political parties and their affiliate youth wings to stay away. This deliberate distancing from established parties underscored the protesters’ message that the movement was driven by ordinary young Nepalis, not by opposition politicians. By the morning of September 8, thousands of people – many of them students in school uniforms – had converged at Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala and New Baneshwor areas near the federal Parliament, setting the stage for a showdown with authorities.

Key Demands of the Protesters

Though initially sparked by online censorship, the protests quickly grew to encapsulate a wider array of demands centered on government accountability. At the core of the movement is a call for the rule of law to prevail over political favoritism. Demonstrators are urging an end to rampant corruption and nepotism in public office, insisting that leaders be held accountable for misuse of power. This includes demands for impartial investigations into major corruption scandals and for systemic reforms to increase transparency in government dealings.

Another key demand was the restoration of citizens’ access to social media and protection of freedom of expression. Protesters viewed the blanket ban on platforms as an intolerable infringement on their rights. Chants at the rallies captured this sentiment: “Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media!” In fact, the government’s quick reversal of the social media ban – it was rescinded overnight amid the unrest – was a direct concession to one of the movement’s primary demands. Additionally, after the violent turn of events, protesters began demanding justice for those killed and injured. They called for an independent inquiry into the security forces’ use of live ammunition and for those responsible to be punished. Some protesters have also started calling for deeper political change – including the ouster of top leaders and even dissolution of the current government – reflecting a loss of faith in the existing political order. Overall, the movement’s demands coalesce around good governance: end the corruption and impunity that have plagued Nepal’s democracy, listen to the voices of the young generation, and uphold citizens’ rights and rule of law.

Major Individuals and Groups Involved

The driving force of this uprising has been Nepal’s youth themselves, organizing organically through social media and student networks. The protest movement has been largely leaderless in a traditional sense, but certain groups and figures have played key roles. As mentioned, the nonprofit Hami Nepal served as an organizer for the initial Kathmandu rally on September 8. Sudhan Gurung, Hami Nepal’s chair, emerged as a prominent voice articulating the protesters’ grievances, stating that young people were mobilizing to oppose government abuses and endemic corruption. The demonstrators – often referred to as “Gen Z protesters” – are mostly in their teens and twenties, including high school and university students, recent graduates, and young professionals. They represent a generation that has come of age in the republic era and is no longer willing to stay silent about the country’s political malaise.

On the government side, the key figures are those at the highest levels of power. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, commonly known as K.P. Oli, became the focus of much of the protesters’ ire. Oli, a veteran politician and head of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), had been in and out of office over the past decade and was Prime Minister at the time the crisis unfolded. His administration’s decision to impose the social media ban and its failure to address repeated corruption allegations made him a lightning rod for public anger. Oli initially struck a defiant tone – even dismissing the youth-led protests and claiming the young organizers “can’t independently think” for themselves – but as the situation deteriorated, he was forced to backtrack. After the deadly crackdown on September 8, Oli said he was “saddened” by the violence yet controversially blamed “vested interest groups” for inciting the unrest. Ultimately, facing pressure from all sides, Oli tendered his resignation on September 9.

Several other high-profile individuals have been swept up in the turmoil. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who was responsible for internal security, resigned on September 8 after the police firing on protesters, ostensibly taking moral responsibility for the bloodshed. President Ramchandra Poudel, the ceremonial head of state, has been trying to play a calming role – he appealed to the protesters to engage in dialogue and urged restraint on the part of security forces. The Chief of Army Staff, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, also made a rare public address, warning that the army could be mobilised if unrest continued and imploring protesters to suspend their agitation and come to the negotiating table. On the opposing side of the political spectrum, leaders of other major parties have been caught in the crossfire of public anger as well. Protesters in Kathmandu stormed the headquarters of the Nepali Congress and even attacked its leader, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba – videos showed Deuba and his wife bloodied and being helped to safety by supporters. The private residences of numerous prominent figures were targeted by rioters on September 9, including those of President Poudel, Prime Minister Oli, Home Minister Lekhak, as well as opposition leaders like Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) of the Maoist party. This indicates that the protesters’ fury is directed not at a single party but at the broader political establishment.

Other influential voices have responded to the movement from the sidelines. Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission and civil society leaders have condemned the excessive use of force by police and urged the government to show restraint and respect fundamental rights. Some younger politicians and public figures have expressed solidarity with the demonstrators – for instance, Kathmandu’s 33-year-old mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah, a popular independent figure, voiced support for the Gen Z protesters’ demands, as did Rabi Lamichhane, a former TV personality who leads a new reformist party. Additionally, celebrities and diaspora Nepalis took to social media to cheer on the youth movement, amplifying its messages. However, the core engine of the protests remains the mass of ordinary young citizens who have spontaneously united under the banner of fighting corruption.