Nepal’s Gen Z Uprising: Social Media, Corruption, and the Fall of KP Sharma Oli

Nepal is living through its most turbulent political moment in decades. The resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on September 9, 2025, came after days of violent anti-corruption protests that left more than 50 people dead, hundreds injured, and Kathmandu choking under smoke and chaos. What began as anger over a government ban on social media platforms quickly transformed into a generational revolt against corruption, inequality, and elite privilege.

The Spark That Lit the Fire

The trigger was the government’s decision to block 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—for failing to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The ban was quickly repealed, but the damage was done. Gen Z, for whom digital platforms are central to education, commerce, and political voice, erupted in defiance. Instead of muting dissent, the government unified an already disillusioned generation.

Weeks earlier, hashtags like #NepoKids and #NepoBaby had gone viral, exposing the wealth and excess of political families. When authorities tried to silence that anger, the backlash became unstoppable.

Youth and the Internet: A New Power Center

At the heart of Nepal’s uprising lies a truth that ruling elites across South Asia continue to underestimate: youth with access to the internet have created a new power center. This generation does not wait for newspapers or political parties to define the narrative. They mobilize instantly, rallying thousands in hours through TikTok, Telegram, and encrypted chats.

Governments often ignore this digital force—at their peril. From Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya in 2022 to Bangladesh’s mass protests in 2024, and now Nepal, connected youth are shaping politics in ways the old ruling classes neither control nor fully understand. For them, the smartphone has become both megaphone and organizing tool, allowing movements to bypass traditional hierarchies and state censors alike.

Corruption and Inequality: The Boiling Point

Nepal’s structural weaknesses only fueled the revolt. Transparency International ranks the country 107th out of 180, with corruption seen as endemic. Youth unemployment stands at 21%, forcing thousands to seek insecure jobs abroad. Against this backdrop, the lavish displays of wealth by political elites’ children on social media became symbols of a rigged system.

When Oli’s government attempted to restrict access to platforms exposing this inequality, it crossed a line. The result was unprecedented: a leaderless, digitally coordinated mass uprising that stormed parliament, torched homes, and ultimately toppled a prime minister.

Foreign Powers in the Background

But this is not merely a domestic crisis. Nepal sits in a geopolitical fault line between India and China, with both powers watching events closely. Oli was seen as leaning toward Beijing; his downfall offers India a chance to recalibrate influence in Kathmandu. The United States, too, has stakes in shaping how digital freedoms and democratic movements unfold in South Asia.

It would be naïve to dismiss the possibility that regional and global powers are amplifying narratives, funding initiatives, or quietly steering outcomes to serve their strategic goals. In an era when the digital sphere doubles as a battlefield, foreign influence is both inevitable and consequential.

A Generational Reckoning

Nepal’s Gen Z uprising is not just another protest—it is part of a regional pattern. Across South Asia, youth are rejecting systems that thrive on corruption, dynastic politics, and economic mismanagement. What makes this moment unprecedented is the toolset at their disposal: the internet, which governments struggle to suppress but which unites discontent faster than ever before.

The real test for Nepal—and for its neighbors—is whether ruling elites recognize this new power center and respond with reform, or whether they repeat the mistakes of denial and repression. If ignored, the cycle of unrest will only grow fiercer, leaving South Asia’s old guard fighting battles they no longer have the tools to win.