Social media fuels Nepal’s Gen Z movement to topple government
Nepal has been plunged into its deepest political crisis in decades as a wave of youth-led protests forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign, paving the way for the appointment of the country’s first female interim leader.
The demonstrations, spearheaded by the activist collective Hami Nepal (“We Are Nepal”), were coordinated through Discord and Instagram despite a government ban on most social media platforms. Many protesters relied on VPNs to bypass restrictions and join mass rallies.
The movement, founded by 36-year-old former DJ Sudan Gurung, mobilised tens of thousands of young people frustrated with corruption and curbs on online freedoms. Violence erupted when protests escalated into clashes with security forces, leaving at least 72 dead and more than 1,300 injured.
Gurung insisted he had no intention of entering politics, instead positioning himself as the “voice of the nation.” At his first press conference after the government’s collapse, he declared: “Power must remain in the hands of the people, and every corrupt politician will face justice.”
Intense street pressure and social media momentum gave Hami Nepal leverage in negotiations with the president and military leaders. As a result, former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki—known for her uncompromising stance against corruption—was appointed interim prime minister, marking the first time a woman has held the post.
The group is now working with Karki to assemble a caretaker cabinet, vowing to replace key figures from the previous administration. In a statement on Instagram, Hami Nepal said the process aimed to select “capable individuals and promising young leaders.”
Among the rising voices in the movement are Ojaswi Raj Thapa, a 24-year-old café owner, and Rehan Raj Dangal, a law graduate. Their online outreach has driven Hami Nepal’s Instagram following to more than 160,000 in just weeks.
Thapa stressed that one of the movement’s immediate priorities was ensuring an independent judiciary free from political interference.
