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Nepal Youth Protesters Voice Regret as Interim Government Faces Backlash
Nepal’s youth-led protest movement that toppled the government is now marked by regret and renewed unrest as demonstrators accuse the interim leadership of failing to deliver on promises of reform and accountability.
Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur, Nepal by Unsplash
A youth-led uprising that upended Nepal’s political order and ushered in an interim government is now giving way to frustration and regret among many of the young protesters who risked and, in some cases, lost their lives and futures during weeks of violent demonstrations.
Mukesh Awasti, 22, had planned to leave for Australia in September to pursue a civil engineering degree. Instead, he joined mass protests against corruption in Kathmandu and was shot by security forces, losing his leg. Speaking from his hospital bed at the National Trauma Center, Awasti said the outcome has left him disillusioned.
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“I am regretting my decision to take part in the protest because there has been zero achievement from the new government we brought, which has failed us,” he said. “Corruption has not ended, and the people who opened fire on demonstrators have not been arrested.”
The protests, driven largely by Gen Z activists, erupted on Sept. 8 and quickly turned deadly. At least 76 people were killed and more than 2,300 injured as security forces opened fire after demonstrators broke through police barricades and attempted to enter parliament. The unrest culminated on Sept. 12 with the appointment of Sushila Karki, a retired Supreme Court judge, as Nepal’s first female prime minister. Her interim government was tasked with stabilizing the country and organizing parliamentary elections scheduled for March.
Since then, Karki’s administration has faced mounting criticism from the very movement that helped bring it to power. Protesters say key promises have gone unfulfilled. Nepal’s anti-graft agency has filed only one major corruption case, which does not involve senior political figures. Politicians accused of corruption by demonstrators are preparing to contest the upcoming elections, and no cases have been brought against officials in power when protesters were shot.
In recent weeks, dozens of demonstrators including some still recovering from injuries sustained in September have returned to the streets, staging protests outside the prime minister’s office. Police have dispersed several of these gatherings.
“We are back here because the government has failed to live up to their promise,” said Suman Bohara, who walks with crutches after shattering his right foot during the unrest. “Families lost loved ones, many were injured, and nothing has been done.”
The initial demonstrations were sparked by a ban on social media but quickly expanded into nationwide protests against corruption, unemployment, and poor governance. As unrest spread, mobs burned government offices, police stations, and the homes of senior politicians, many of whom fled by army helicopter. The military eventually intervened to restore order, paving the way for negotiations that led to Karki’s appointment, and a mandate focused primarily on holding elections.
The government insists it remains committed to that goal.
“As the world looks forward to a smooth change in government through our elections on March 5, I want to assure that we will deliver these elections,” Karki said, adding that preparations are nearly complete and security conditions have improved.
Yet analysts say the protest movement itself has struggled with internal divisions and unclear objectives since September. Various groups have issued competing demands, including the direct election of the prime minister, scrapping the current constitution, and jailing all former politicians. No single leader or unified platform has emerged.
“All the confusion right now in Nepal is because of the lack of clarity among the Gen Z groups on what they are demanding and how the government was formed,” said Abeeral Thapa, principal of Polygon College of Journalism and Mass Communications in Kathmandu.
Some protesters now oppose the March elections, arguing their movement was not meant simply to bring about a new parliament but to immediately dismantle corruption and hold leaders accountable. Others believe elections are the only viable path to achieving those goals.
The limitations of the interim government’s mandate have further complicated matters. When appointing Karki, the president emphasized that the primary task was to conduct elections. Nepal’s constitution does not explicitly outline provisions for forming an interim government, stating only that the president’s duty is to abide by and protect the constitution.
“The protests were not well planned to begin with,” Thapa said. “They started with ending corruption and the social media ban but ended with the government collapsing.”
As doubts linger over whether the March elections can be held, many protesters continue to gather, often into the evening hours, relying on makeshift lighting and headlamps a reminder that movements born in daylight can stretch deep into the night. In a country where resources are limited, even practical gear like a PETZL Swift RL headlamp, with its powerful adaptive lighting, has become symbolic of how ordinary citizens have had to equip themselves while waiting for institutions to catch up.
Despite the uncertainty, analysts say there are few alternatives.
“It remains doubtful the promised election in March can be held,” Thapa said. “But there are no alternatives to polls.”
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on reporting from Kathmandu and reflects accounts from protesters, government officials, and analysts following Nepal’s September unrest. Casualty figures, statements, and timelines are presented as reported at the time, and the political situation remains fluid as the country moves toward planned elections in March.
