Nepal Gen Z protest update: Kulman Ghising emerges as another wannabe ruler amid leadership split

Nepal's political landscape teeters on the brink of further upheaval as Generation Z protesters, fresh from forcing the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, grapple with choosing an interim leader. The frontrunners include former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, a symbol of anti-corruption resolve; Kathmandu Mayor Balendra "Balen" Shah, a youth icon who has since withdrawn; and Kulman Ghising, the celebrated engineer credited with ending the nation's chronic power shortages. 

Ghising, 54, has emerged as the compromise candidate following internal divisions, with protesters citing his apolitical stance and proven competence. Talks between protest representatives, the Nepal Army, and President Ram Chandra Paudel continue at army headquarters in Kathmandu, as the death toll from the unrest climbs to 31 and curfews grip the capital. 

This leadership vacuum risks prolonging instability in the Himalayan nation, already scarred by arson attacks on government buildings and clashes that have injured over 1,000.

The spark and escalation of the Gen Z protests

What began as a viral social media campaign against "Nepo Kids"—the children of politicians flaunting lavish lifestyles amid widespread poverty—ignited into Nepal's deadliest unrest in decades. In early September 2025, frustration boiled over when the government, under Oli's coalition, imposed a ban on 26 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, ostensibly to curb "misinformation" but widely seen as an assault on free speech and youth voices. The ban, lifted hastily after two days, only amplified the outrage, with young demonstrators—aged 13 to 28—taking to the streets of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, and other cities.

The protests, organised via encrypted apps like Signal, demanded an end to corruption, nepotism, and economic stagnation. Nepal's youth unemployment rate stands at 20.8%, per World Bank data, while scandals involving politicians' families siphoning public funds have eroded trust in the elite. Clashes erupted on 8 September when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at crowds storming parliament, killing 19 in Kathmandu alone. By 10 September, protesters had torched the Supreme Court, parliament, and politicians' homes, prompting Oli's resignation and army deployment under a nationwide curfew.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos: students in school uniforms hurling stones at barricades, only to face live ammunition. Organisers from groups like Hami Nepal insisted the movement remained peaceful until "hijacked" by political opportunists. Still, the violence has left a trail of destruction, including damaged airports and hotels, crippling tourism—a sector vital to Nepal's economy. The National Human Rights Commission has condemned the excessive force, urging restraint.

Profiles of the key contenders

The quest for an interim prime minister has exposed fractures within the Gen Z ranks, who held virtual meetings with over 5,000 participants to vote on candidates. Balen Shah, 35, the rapper-turned-engineer and Kathmandu mayor, was the initial favourite for his anti-establishment appeal and 2022 electoral upset as an independent. Yet Shah stepped aside on 10 September, citing his duties as mayor and endorsing Karki, while facing accusations of cowardice from rival Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang.

Sushila Karki, 73, Nepal's first female chief justice, gained traction for her no-nonsense anti-corruption record, including landmark rulings against graft during her 2015-2016 tenure. She secured over 2,500 signatures of support but withdrew amid constitutional hurdles—former judges are ineligible for executive roles—and concerns over her age, with protesters deeming her unrepresentative of youth aspirations. Karki, an admirer of India's Narendra Modi, had pledged stronger Nepal-India ties.

Enter Kulman Ghising, whose nomination on 11 September marks a pivot to technocratic leadership. Born in 1970 in rural Ramechhap, Ghising studied electrical engineering in Jamshedpur, India, before joining the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in 1994. As NEA managing director from 2016-2020 and 2021-2025, he ended 18-hour daily load-shedding through efficient hydropower management and imports, turning NEA profitable and earning folk-hero status. Sacked prematurely by Oli's government in March 2025 amid disputes over India energy deals, Ghising's ouster sparked earlier protests. Apolitical and patriotic, he called for a "clean" interim government with Gen Z inclusion on 9 September.

Implications of Nepal's deepening instability

The protests' success in toppling Oli belies a precarious path ahead. With parliament dissolved and elections demanded within six months, the interim setup must navigate a fractured mandate. Economic fallout is immediate: tourism, contributing 7% to GDP, has halted, stranding hundreds of Indian visitors and slashing remittances from the 2.5 million Nepalis abroad. Border trade with India, Nepal's lifeline for 65% of imports, has slowed, exacerbating inflation in a nation where 25% live below the poverty line.

Socially, the unrest has deepened divides. While Gen Z's digital savvy has unified a leaderless movement—trending #JusticeForCharlie on X, wait no, #NepalGenZRevolution—the hijacking by "external forces" and party cadres has sown distrust. Prisons emptied during the chaos, with 22 escapees caught at the India-Nepal border, raising security alarms. Long-term, failure to address youth grievances could fuel migration or radicalisation, echoing Bangladesh's 2024 quota protests.

Regionally, the turmoil disrupts SAARC cohesion, which has been dormant since 2016. Nepal's instability hampers cross-border initiatives like hydropower exports to India, vital for energy security. India, hosting 8 million Nepalis, faces refugee pressures and economic spillovers, while the unrest coincides with the 9/11 anniversary, amplifying calls for regional dialogue.

Deep state suspicions and the US-China shadow over SAARC

Whispers of orchestration swirl around the protests' rapid escalation, mirroring patterns in SAARC neighbours like Bangladesh's 2024 upheaval and Sri Lanka's 2022 crisis—youth-led, social media-fuelled, and culminating in leadership ousters. In Nepal, the swift army takeover and foreign tourists' evacuation evoke "deep state" interventions, with some alleging US backing via civil society NGOs to counter Chinese influence. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact, ratified in 2022 despite China's objections, symbolises Washington's energy foothold, viewed by Beijing as an Indo-Pacific containment ploy.

Nepal's buffer status amplifies this tussle: China eyes it as a BRI gateway to South Asia, funding hydropower and railways to encircle India, while New Delhi leverages historical ties and open borders for influence. Oli's March 2025 sacking of Ghising—amid disputes over India's power deals—fanned pro-China sentiments, but the protests' anti-corruption thrust aligns with US narratives. Beijing, prioritising stability via the One-China policy, has stayed muted, yet analysts warn of debt-trap risks from stalled BRI projects.

SAARC states—Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka—face similar proxy dynamics: US-supported colour revolutions versus China's economic corridors. Nepal's hedging—non-alignment with economic pragmatism—offers a model, but instability invites meddling, potentially fragmenting the region further. Reviving SAARC could counter this, fostering intra-regional trade over great-power rivalry. As Ghising's nomination hints at a technocratic renewal, Nepal must fortify its sovereignty to harness its hydropower riches without becoming a pawn.

For now, with army patrols enforcing calm, the focus shifts to Thursday's negotiations. A Ghising-led interim could stabilise, but without addressing root inequities, Gen Z's revolution risks fizzling—or flaring anew.