The recent student-led Gen-Z protest in Nepal resulted in the collapse of the Oli-led Nepal Government, which came into power in July 2025 with two majority parties, CPN (UML) and Nepali Congress, promising good governance and prosperity. The term was cut short by a forced resignation following public pressure on disproportionate use of force during the recent protest, leading to uncontrollable violence with the loss of 19 students’ lives, overall 74 fatalities, and thousands injured. For the initial 72 hours, Nepali youth were blamed for the fire, mayhem, and destruction.
As an observer of Nepal, I found it hard to comprehend how the students from my lecture class of March 2025 at a premium education institution in Nepal, who aspired to join public service and fight corruption one day, could mastermind the plot of inflammable stockpiles around the country, right under the nose of the authorities, and dare to set their own country on fire. That is a mismatch equation. Let me add context to that. Earlier this year, I led an education connectivity initiative between India and Nepal. The prime focus was on how to empower Nepali youth as global leaders with access to higher education in specialised areas, as well as inculcate knowledge and skills to make Nepali youth excel in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) world. The VUCA acronym is a widely used concept in education and business to help institutions and individuals learn how to deal with challenges in such an environment where unpredictability prevails. I was invited to give a guest lecture to a class of undergraduate students in Kathmandu. Given my domain is investigations and anti-corruption, they wanted to learn about forensic accounting and the investigation of economic fraud and public bribery and corruption allegations. They asked about ongoing corruption cases, the level of corruption, and the role of key anti-corruption and other oversight functions in Nepal.
I explained to them the concept of “political will” and the role of parliamentary committees in holding the executive accountable, noting that the lack thereof deteriorates governance standards in the country. They expressed dissatisfaction about Nepal’s lack of political will to fight corruption or to develop the country for the youth’s aspirations and safeguard their future.
Meanwhile, corruption scandals topped the headlines of Nepali newspapers. Nepal has a history of political leaders growing disproportionately, followed by protest and political course correction. The writing was on the wall against the Oli-led Government, whose reckless disregard and/or deliberate ignorance of control over corruption and misgovernment became obvious.
I learnt about Gen-Z Nepal’s peaceful protest demonstrations planned for 8th September to fight against corruption and misgovernment. Until the eve of 7th September, the country was rallying behind the peaceful protest. Maybe it reminded them of earlier years’ nationwide student protests seeking political course correction and holding those guilty of abuse and misconduct in public offices accountable. What followed within hours of the demonstrations left everyone perplexed. Disproportionate use of force left youngsters bleeding to death in parts of the country. The shooting of a Gen-Z sent ripples across society. The anger erupted and turned uncontrollable. Violence, destruction of public property and attacks on any and everything one could lay their hands on continued. A Nepali youth may express dissatisfaction in writings and slogans, but will they set their own school, college and national heritage on fire? The answer is no. I wondered, would one of the students from my class want to push his/her siblings into darkness? No. They may thrash out a politician but they will not immolate one from the community unless they are misguided and misled purposefully. Then, who was masked and tasked to commit these acts of violence?
Who were the masterminds who provoked some towards violent activism to further their vested interests? History repeated itself. Nearly two decades back, the young, gullible minds were misled by communist leaders for a fake People’s War. They never had any agenda but used all sorts of slogans and tactics to show the world that they stood up to corruption, only to reveal one day as kings of corruption, destruction, and greed for power. They succeeded then in jeopardising the future of the country for decades, turning a young child into a child soldier. The plot, the outcome and the strategy remained the same with new masterminds, except now they upgraded from child soldier to Gen-Z activism in the name of revolution in Nepal. History will remember those who laid lives as martyrs of Gen Z Protest for uprooting corruption at source and diminishing the veteran corrupt leaders to zero. Let us pause! A martyr often gets compensation, garland and a dedicated bust in memory and society move on. An empowered victim transforms harm as a catalyst for justice and social change. These violent acts are well-planned, countrywide, executed acts of barbarism which should not go unpunished. The business of fake revolutions with masterminded fatalities to invoke unrest in Nepal must be called out with no mercy and no exception. These are not martyrs. These are young Nepali youth whose lives were taken away mercilessly by players from within and outside.
Life for a Nepali elite will likely move on, as one shall claim that this is a repeat episode from Nepali history and at the end of the day his/her family is safe. For a common Nepali, life is derailed by decades, business stalled, no means to earn, tourists have turned their backs on the country, and who will teach their child in a charcoal-walled classroom? Yet a Nepali will not complain.
Today, a Nepali youth is a victim of corruption and non-functional political systems, where the elders in society are prisoners of ideologies, political preferences, and foreign scholarships for their children. They will continue to fight against a fellow Nepali as a cadre. There is no easy way forward. The Gen-Z and their parents need to have a hard talk to save the country. The Gen-Z parents do not speak up and prepare their children for a VUCA world. Gen-Z parents continue to live in their cocoon that Nepal, the Himalayan state, will survive with God’s will.Jointly, they require a fair assessment of ground reality that:-
a) corruption cannot be uprooted overnight as the societal acceptance of corruption for decades nurtured these corrupt leaders,
b) experienced leaders with a good reputation in statecraft, preferably supporting the Prime Minister, and
c) open and transparent communication between the Gen-Z and parents to prevent youth from being misled by groups with vested interests.
The Interim Government of Nepal will be focused on restoring peace and stability with an eye on threats to sovereignty and communal harmony. It may not be fair to ask the Interim Government to jump into elections when the leaders with a good reputation have yet to emerge. Gen-Z and communities can assist authorities with information on the acts of violence of 8-9 September. The role of some groups in inciting violence cannot be ruled out. It was also noted by the Nepali Army in their social media posts. A thorough investigation is a task of the nation.
In terms of restoring Nepal’s development priorities and economic stability on track, it is imperative that India, as the civilisational friend with open borders and shared societal relations, engages as a first responder in crisis. At the prime ministerial level, a joint understanding and an action plan with transparent and measurable outcomes is needed to reaffirm commitment.
Gen-Z Nepal will always be remembered as a legitimate movement of 8th September who, within hours, toppled the veteran leaders of mainstream parties whose arrogance and impunity knew no bounds.
The writer is a Nepal Observer and a financial, geopolitical and security analyst.