A mere social media campaign turned into a movement, and in the course of five days, a whole country changed. In Nepal, what began as a peace movement on September 8th in front of Maitighar Mandala and around the federal parliament building in Kathmandu soon spread across the country. From Kathmandu to the distant districts, people took to the streets, united with one purpose: to end corruption.
The trend on social media known as “Hashtag Nepo Kids” exposed the stark contrast between the opulent lifestyles of politicians' families and the daily struggles of common Nepalese. People started questioning: “Why do certain groups of people get to enjoy the abundance while the rest barely get by?” Then came a coincidence where the government abruptly banned social media just as the hashtag was gaining momentum.
Many saw it as a direct attack on their freedom of expression. The ban became a final straw. Years of suppressed annoyance and injustice finally came to the surface. The youth found purpose and direction. And the movement began.
For the first few hours on 8th September, there was a peaceful protest. However, the protests took a different turn when they tried to enter the federal parliament of Nepal. Security forces and police responded first with tear gas, followed by water cannons, rubber bullets, and real bullets. Videos on social media showed tragic scenarios on roads. A student wearing a school uniform was shot straight in the head while just walking with his friends in the protests.
That day, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned. The situation got out of control. A curfew was imposed in several major cities, including Kathmandu, Bhairahawa, Birjung, Butwal, Damak, Itahari, and Pokhara.
People were injured, and hospitals were asking for blood donations. People rushed to the hospital for blood donation, but many police officers threatened them, warning that they would be beaten. On the same day, security forces began going house-by-house near the protest sites searching for protesters, as well as raiding the Civil Service Hospital, where wounded and dying protesters were taken after being shot or otherwise beaten by the government forces.
Nepalese all over the world were looking forward to this day. They were hopeful that the youths might change even just a little corruption, or perhaps the government would change, seeing youths come to the forefront. However, that was far from the truth. With each passing moment, all they saw was more devastating news, scrolling through it in search of a little ray of hope.
People gathered with hope and peace, but the day ended with a heavy heart for every Nepali citizen.
Everyone was furious about what happened on September 8th. On September 9th, despite the curfew being imposed, many people left their homes to join a peaceful protest once again. On this day, people understood the true meaning and purpose of social media. Many influencers of Nepal utilized their platform. They went out sharing information about everything that was happening and posting on social media about which places were safe to come while encouraging everyone to join them. This day, not just GenZ, every citizen of Nepal went out of their houses.
The houses of several government ministers and members of Parliament, as well as the residence of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and the president, were among the notable places in Kathmandu that protesters targeted. The parliament building was set on fire. Several members of parliament resigned. Prisons in different places were attacked, and many prisoners fled. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned. There was considerable chaos in the country.
Later that day, at around 22:00 NTP, the Nepali Army took charge of the country to ensure law and order was maintained in the absence of the Prime Minister.
On September 10, a group of Gen Zs started cleaning the street, near the parliament building that had been set on fire the previous day, and around the country. Gen Z held online discussions on Discord to select an interim leader. Around 22:00 NTP, the group decided to dissolve the Federal Parliament of Nepal, and the previous government collapsed. They voted and selected Sushila Karki, a former first women Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal.
The office of President Ramchandra Poudel announced her appointment on Friday, September 12, and she was sworn into office as the country’s first-ever female prime minister later that day.
The fresh general elections have been scheduled for March 5, 2026.
At least 76 people, mainly students, died during and in the days after the Gen Z protest. However, they could not identify some victims who had been burned during the fire in the parliament.
Without a doubt, there are, and will always be, people who blame Gen Z for the havoc that has occurred, is occurring, and that might happen in the future. It is easy for them to point fingers, stereotyping Gen Z as impatient and reckless. However, they fail to observe the fundamental concern they are responding to: lack of opportunity, corruption, and a country that is in desperate need of change.
Nonetheless, more people are hopeful. Hopeful of a generation that refuses to stay silent, not afraid to challenge the system that has gone unquestioned for decades. They see educated, connected young people who are driven by a desire to improve Nepal, to fight for a country that its people truly deserve, and this hope continues to grow.
