Kathmandu, Nepal – Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday as protests erupted across the capital following violent clashes that left at least 19 people dead. The unrest, driven by anger over corruption and restrictions on social media, saw demonstrators set fire to government buildings, party offices, and the homes of top leaders.
The protests began after the government imposed a ban on major social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, which fueled frustration among young Nepalese. Authorities fired into crowds on Monday, resulting in the first wave of fatalities, before rescinding the ban the following day. Despite a curfew, protesters returned to the streets, storming the main government administrative building and forcing ministers to be airlifted to safety.
Four cabinet ministers, including three from the Nepali Congress party, resigned alongside Mr. Oli. Domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport were canceled after fires broke out near the airport perimeter.
Protesters, many identifying as Gen Z, expressed anger over long-standing economic challenges and social inequities. Nepal faces high youth unemployment, with the National Statistics Office reporting a rate of 12.6 percent in 2024, and thousands of young people leave the country annually for work abroad. Remittances from these workers constitute more than a quarter of the national economy.
Corruption has deepened public frustration, with Transparency International ranking Nepal among the most corrupt countries in Asia. Scandals have involved embezzlement of funds for infrastructure projects and exploitation of young job seekers, but few politicians have faced prosecution.
The protests also reflect frustration with Nepal’s entrenched political elite. Since the 2015 constitution, three leaders – Mr. Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Sher Bahadur Deuba – have rotated as prime minister, often serving short terms. Many young people resent the concentration of wealth and influence among politicians’ families while facing limited economic opportunities themselves.
The social media ban, seen by protesters as an attempt at political censorship, reignited anger over government inaction on corruption and inequality. The crisis has left Kathmandu’s streets in chaos, with fires and widespread property damage marking a sharp escalation of civil unrest in the Himalayan nation.
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