Nepal Gen Z Brings Down Government in 48 Hours

Nepal’s Gen Z protesters brought down a government in just 48 hours – but their victory came with a heavy price.

“We are proud, but there is also a mix of trauma, regret, and anger,” says Tanuja Pandey, one of the protest organizers.

With 72 people killed, last week’s protests became the deadliest unrest in Nepal in decades. Protesters torched official buildings, the residences of political leaders, and luxury hotels like the Hilton, which opened in July 2024. The wife of a former prime minister is fighting for her life after their home was set ablaze.

The protests represented a wholesale rejection of Nepal’s political class for decades of poor governance and exploitation of state resources. Ashish Pradhan, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, said the damage to government services could rival the 2015 earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people.

The destruction was not limited to Kathmandu. At least 300 local government offices across the country have been damaged. Financial losses could reach 3 trillion Nepalese rupees ($21.3bn), almost half the country’s GDP, according to the Kathmandu Post.

Growing Frustration with the Political Elite

Two days before the deadly demonstration on 8 September, Ms Pandey, a 24-year-old environmental campaigner, uploaded a video showing a mining site in Chure, one of Nepal’s most fragile mountain ranges. She highlighted Nepal’s fragile resources and urged her peers to “march against corruption and the misuse of our nation’s wealth.”

Ms Pandey, like many other youth activists, has been frustrated with the government’s handling of the country’s resources. Months of brewing frustration against the “nepo babies”—the children of powerful politicians who flaunted their wealth on social media—added fuel to the fire. One viral photo showed Saugat Thapa, the son of a provincial minister, standing next to a Christmas tree made of luxury brand boxes like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Cartier. He later defended himself, claiming that the interpretation of the image was unfair.

For Ms Pandey, the issue ran deeper. “It is painful to watch, especially knowing that even educated youth are forced to leave the country because wages here are far below what one needs to live with dignity,” she said.

Nepal is a young democracy, becoming a republic in 2008 after a decade-long Maoist-led civil war that killed more than 17,000 people. But promised stability and prosperity have not materialized. Nepal has had 14 governments in 17 years, with no leader completing a full five-year term. The country’s politics resemble a game of musical chairs, with communist parties and the centrist Nepali Congress alternating power.

The Protests Begin

Before the protests, Ms Pandey worked with others to create guidelines stressing non-violence and respect. They reminded participants to stay vigilant against “hijackers” who might infiltrate the movement.

On the morning of 8 September, she arrived at Maitighar Mandala, a large traffic island in central Kathmandu. She was expecting just thousands to turn up, but the crowds continued swelling.

Aakriti Ghimire, a 26-year-old protester, described the initial moments as peaceful. “We were all seated, singing old Nepali songs,” she said. “The slogans were funny, and we were enjoying it. Then, we started to march, and the police were there to ensure no vehicles disturbed us.”

By midday, both Ms Pandey and Ms Ghimire noticed a shift. People started arriving on motorbikes, and Ms Pandey noted that these individuals seemed older than the usual Gen Z protesters. Ms Ghimire believes these were infiltrators. “It became very tricky to distinguish the peaceful protesters from those with violent intentions,” she said.

When protesters tried to breach security around parliament, the police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and, according to reports, live rounds. There are allegations that police targeted schoolchildren during the clash, and an investigation is underway.

Violence Breaks Out

The next day, chaos erupted. Protesters retaliated by setting parliament, the prime minister’s office, and other government buildings on fire. Both Ms Pandey and Ms Ghimire stayed indoors and watched the developments online.

“A lot of people felt good to finally see politicians face the consequences of their actions,” Ms Ghimire said. However, the mood soon shifted.

“I saw people with bottles filled with petroleum,” said Ms Pandey. “They started attacking parliament.”

The law graduate cried after watching the Supreme Court burn. “It felt like a temple to me,” she said. Her friends tried to put out the flames, knowing their efforts were futile.

Aftermath and Political Transition

When the army was deployed, calm was slowly restored. A curfew was imposed for several days, and by the end of the week, Sushila Karki, the former Supreme Court Chief Justice, was appointed interim prime minister. She had been supported by protesters for the post.

Ms Pandey hopes to lead the country efficiently, manage elections within the stipulated time, and hand power back to the people. But the anxiety about Nepal’s political future remains.

Rumela Sen, a South Asia expert at Columbia University, expressed concern over the “unprecedented glorification of the army as a voice of sanity and stability.” Many people are uneasy about Durga Prasai’s involvement in the initial negotiations, considering his previous pro-monarchy protests.

Meanwhile, the families of the protesters who died in the violence are dealing with their losses.

“We are deeply shocked because we have lost our beloved son,” said Yubaraj Neupane, whose 23-year-old son Yogendra died in the protests. “I am yet to find out how he died.”

Yogendra had been a promising student, studying in Kathmandu to pursue a career in civil service. On 8 September, he joined the protests with his friends, hoping to bring change to the country. His family didn’t know he was at the scene until he called them after things escalated.

“Our beloved has lost his life calling for change,” his great-uncle Saubhagya said. “His blood and sacrifice should be recognized so that other young people won’t have to hit the streets again in the future.”

Ms Pandey said she was cautiously optimistic about Nepal’s future, but the trauma of the past week would stay with her for the rest of her life.

This is a political awakening for her generation.

“We are no longer willing to stay silent or accept injustice,” she says. “This is not just a gentle nudge; it’s a bold challenge to a system that has hoarded power for decades.”