On September 8-9, 2025, Nepal saw one of the largest and most shocking protests the country has ever witnessed. This movement was led by Generation Z – young people born between 1997 to 2012 -- and online workers who took to the streets after the government banned several social media platforms. For many, this ban was the last straw, resulting in widespread public fury. They were already angry on account of corruption, unemployment and the political system that seemed to serve only the leaders, not the general public. What began as a peaceful protests, quickly turned violent, becoming the deadliest protest the country has seen in decades.
To understand why this protest happened, we need to look at Nepal's politics. Since the monarchy was abolished in 2008, the Nepal has been facing unstable governments, constant fights between political parties while corruption went unbridled. Many young Nepalis had to go abroad to find jobs, leaving them frustrated with leaders who promised progress but delivered little. The social media banned in September 2025 felt like an attack on freedom and also a direct hit to many young people's livelihoods, since they used online platforms for jobs and study. This was also one of the reasons why hundreds of them came out to protest.
At first, the demonstrations were peaceful, but the situation went worse after security forces cracked down hard. Violence broke out across cities, especially in the Kathmandu Valley. Reports say, that between 73 to 76 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured during the two-day Gen Z uprising. Important government buildings like Parliament, Singha Durbar, Supreme Court and the Office of the President were set on fire. Crowds also set a fire to the houses of several corrupt ministers and political leaders. Some prisons, local offices, corporate houses were vandalized and burned down. The level of destruction showed how angry and hopeless many people had been.
As a student, who has never been inside Singha Durbar, I had a wish to visit it some day. But the dream shattered after I watched it burn down into flames on Television by the protesters.
The political landscape changed dramatically as Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stepped down and President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives. A lot of questions arose on who would become the next Prime Minister. Many said Balen but he rejected the offer, some said Kulman Ghising. Harka Sampang, the Mayor of Dharan Sub Metropolitan City, himself made efforts to be the leader of the country. Finally, to steer the country, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, was appointed as the Prime Minister of the interim government of Nepal.
In my view, the protest was both powerful and painful. As a student, who has never been inside Singha Durbar, I had a wish to visit it some day. But the dream shattered after I watched it burn down into flames on Television by the protesters. I also got shocked when I saw how easily the security forces shot dead many innocent lives during the protest. On the good side, the protest exhibited the strength of young people's voices. It forced corrupt leaders to be accountable and pushed for change in the national politics. On the bad side, the violence caused deaths, destruction and injuries that will take a long time to heal. And, burning down offices and houses may not have been the best idea to increase the efficiency of the protest.
Nepal now stands at a turning point. The interim government and upcoming elections could be an opportunity to fix old problems like, corruption, unemployment, and misuse of power. But if leaders continue their old ways, the anger that exploded in September 8-9, might return again and cause a greater problem. The Gen Z protest was more than just a reaction to social media ban, it was a loud cry for justice, opportunity and honest leadership.
(Panjum is a ninth grader studying in Medha Secondary School.)
(Nepalkhabar encourages students to send in their articles on any issues of their interest. The article should be around 500 to 700 words in English and sent via [email protected]. We will select, edit and duly publish them in our blog section.)
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