Nepal Gen Z Protest Explained: Corruption, Social Media Ban, Violence & Oli's Ouster

|Kathmandu: A violent uprising shook Nepal last week with the so-called Gen Z protestors representing the youth demanding systemic reforms. The upheaval in the Himalayan nation sparked by allegations of political corruption and a social media ban has left at least 72 people dead and more than 1,000 injured. The protesting mobs torched the country's parliament, hotels, shops and chased politicians after setting fire to their properties. They demanded an end to corruption, more jobs and economic reforms with a more accountable government.Nepal's democratic political journey began in April-May 1979 with the students protesting and forcing the monarchy to hold a referendum on the possibility of a multi-party system. The monarchy clamped down on opposition figures. In the later years, every democratic government destroyed the Nepalese idea of a society and institution. This time, the ban on 26 social media platforms revealed networked authoritarianism with the primary purpose to defend state power. The ban was a catalyst for the unrest with protesters having deep seated discontent and dissatisfaction against the Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli government.

Seemingly overnight, the Gen-Z movement provoked students to react and received public endorsements. This student activism in the fragile situation of Nepal with its digital signature of Discord messaging app is shaping Nepal responding to socio-economic and political issues.

36-year-old Sudan Gurung, the founder of Hami Nepal (We are Nepal), mobilised massive demonstrations through the Discord messaging app and Instagram which ultimately forced Oli to resign. Hami Nepal had used VPNs to access banned platforms and urged for action that reached lakhs of young people to join the protest march.

He used proxy names online for security reasons and played a stellar role in high-stakes decisions leading to the appointment of former first woman Chief Justice of Nepal, Sushila Karki, known for her zero tolerance for corruption and respect for the rule of law, as Nepal's first woman interim Prime Minister till elections are held on March 5, 2026.