The night of September 8, 2025, will be remembered as one of Nepal’s darkest. Nineteen young lives were lost, more than 500 people were injured, and the entire nation was left in shock. A peaceful rally led by Nepal’s Gen Z was met with bullets, killing children and youth wearing their school and college uniforms.
The next day, young people defied the curfew, taking to the streets in growing numbers. Their persistent pressure forced several ministers in K P Sharma Oli’s Cabinet to resign — and finally, on September 9, around 2 pm, Prime Minister Oli himself stepped down.
The Army is the only effective institution in the country now. In a televised address to the nation, Army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel appealed to the protesters to come forward for dialogue, while taking charge of security. As per Nepal’s constitution, the President is a ceremonial figure, but the Army is under his control.
But what began as a peaceful demand for justice soon spiralled into vandalism. Media footage showed mobs attacking the residences of former prime minister and president of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Arzoo Rana Deuba, pulling out sacks of money and throwing them into the streets not pocketing it, but rejecting it in symbolic defiance. Now, there are reports that some top leaders, fearing mob attacks, are planning to flee the country. This escalation was never part of Gen Z’s plan, yet the movement has triggered a political storm unlike anything Nepal has seen.
September 8 was a sleepless night for most Nepalis. Parents and grandparents who lost their children — and those who did not — felt the pain. The killing of 19 young people will remain a stain on Nepal’s history. The overall toll is expected to cross 30.
The government’s response was not dialogue but suppression — imposing curfews, banning social media, and ordering security forces to shoot. Social media has since been restored, but the lives lost cannot be recovered.
These youth were not protesting merely because Facebook messenger, or WhatsApp was blocked. They were marching against decades of corruption, the widening inequality between political elites and ordinary citizens, and the lack of opportunities that forces many young Nepalis to leave the country.
Is it too much to ask for food security, quality education, decent jobs, and a future at home?
Public anger is also fuelled by repeated corruption scandals, from land grabs to the Bhutanese refugee human trafficking case. The appointment of Arzoo Rana Deuba to Parliament through proportional representation, despite speculation that she might not win a direct first-past-the-post election, is seen as a betrayal of the spirit of Nepal’s Constitution, which intended proportional representation for women and people from the marginalised groups, not the politically powerful.
Nepotism, misuse of state resources, and a political class that appears detached from the struggles of ordinary Nepalis have deepened the trust deficit. Gen Z is not simply rebelling—they are demanding systemic reform.
The most haunting question remains: how could police and soldiers, paid by taxpayer money, fire live bullets at children? Even if the protesters had stormed the Parliament building, would it not have been wiser to talk to them rather than kill them? Leaders who claim to represent the people should have come out to meet these young citizens, as parents meet their kids when they are upset.
A government that truly respects its citizens would have engaged in dialogue, provided security, and sought compromise. Instead, bullets were used to silence the youth—and in doing so, the state shattered the trust of millions.
Despite the tragedy, Gen Z has achieved what seemed impossible just days ago: they forced the prime minister and his cabinet to resign. However, this victory will be hollow if it does not lead to structural change. Nepal now stands at a crossroads. It can either continue down the path of kleptocracy, where wealth and power remain concentrated in a few hands, or it can seize this moment to rebuild trust in governance. Justice must be served, both for those who pulled the trigger and those who gave the orders.
Just as importantly, Nepal must create a mechanism to include Gen Z voices in governance, ensuring their concerns are heard before frustration spills into the streets again.
Since 1990, Nepal has made important strides, including provisions in the Constitution guaranteeing women’s and marginalised groups’ representation at every level of government. Today, women serve as mayors, deputy mayors, ward chairs, deputy chairs, and parliamentarians, changing power dynamics across the country.
Nepali women have shattered several glass ceilings. We have had a woman President, a woman Supreme Court Chief Justice, and a woman Speaker of the House in Parliament. However, these achievements are undermined when political appointments serve the interests of a few elites instead of advancing democracy.
Also, Nepal’s sensitive geopolitical position has always complicated its internal politics. Sandwiched between two giant neighbours—India to the south and China to the north—every major political disturbance raises suspicion of foreign influence. While Gen Z’s movement is homegrown, many Nepalis worry that external powers may try to exploit the current instability to advance their own strategic interests. This makes it even more urgent for Nepal to find solutions from within, focusing on building a governance system that truly serves its people and shields the country from unnecessary foreign interference.
The streets continue to be volatile. Gen Z organisers insist that much of the current vandalism is being carried out by unknown actors trying to discredit their movement. The question on everyone’s mind is: what comes next?
Nepal has opened a Pandora’s box. The old political order is collapsing.
Whether the country can channel this anger into building a just, inclusive, and corruption-free republic will define its future. The youth have done their part. Now it is time for the rest of the country—and its leaders—to listen.
Namrata Sharma
Senior Nepali journalist and women rights advocate and can be reached at namrata1964@yahoo.com @NamrataSharmaP