No one imagined that the Nepal government could collapse within just two days. However, on September 8, Nepal witnessed a surreal turning point as Z=LED protests and controversial social media ban on crossing government corruption rapidly escalated into national unrest and drastic changes.
More than 50 young protesters have been killed, hundreds have been injured, and the A has been left in chaos.
What began as a peaceful demonstration was quickly abrupt as radical groups with their own political agendas permeated the movement. The result was that more than 50 young protesters were killed, hundreds were injured, and the country was in chaos.
Soon, a curfew was enacted on the streets and military patrols left the former pure capital unrecognizable. Government agencies such as the Supreme Court, National Banks, Land Registration Offices and Constitutional Buildings have been looted, burned or destroyed. Government ministers fled their homes as angry protesters burned their homes down. Even prisons were attacked, leading to massive escapes and widespread fear.
Nepal’s political history has long been plagued by instability. From the authoritarian Rana regime before 1951 to the transition to parliamentary democracy, each era brought its own tumultuous changes following the panchayat system under King Mahendra in 1961, followed by the movements of the people in 1990. The decade-long Maoist rebellion (1996–2006) claimed the lives of over 17,000 people, and ultimately led to the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
The coalition collapsed, constitutional conflicts and systematic corruption erod public trust.
Since then, Nepal has seen 14 different governments. The coalition collapsed, constitutional conflicts and systematic corruption erod public trust.
Gen Z – LED protests didn’t come out overnight. It was the result of years of frustration with bad governance, youth unemployment, nepotism, and mass labor migrants. When the government banned social media to curb the voices of Gen Z, it assured its own downfall.
“Gen Z” – Running like a flood, shocking the country.
For Gen Z, the internet was more than just a platform. It was part of their identity. Born into a world connected worldwide, they are more informed, spoken and mobilized than any generation before them. When their digital voices silenced, they took them down the street. Nepalis – many of them are truly new to the term “Gen Z,” but run like a flood, as if they were awakened from a dream, as if they were awakening the country.
The uprising reflects similar recent events in nearby countries. In Sri Lanka in 2022, massive protests against the economic collapse led to government buildings raids, and the president fled the country. Last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in Bangladesh due to student-led protests against government abuse. These local precedents undoubtedly influenced the revolutionary sentiment of young people in Nepal.
For years, Nepalis have been visiting ministers’ campaigns door-to-door during elections, but once they have not been able to take power. Meanwhile, many young people in the country feel compelled to seek work abroad, especially in the Gulf countries, and in situations that are often dangerous and exploitative.
15,000 Nepalis took part in the Russian war in Ukraine.
In 2024, the unemployment rate among young people in Nepal was 20.82%. Job creation is stagnant, with thousands moving. The crisis has become so hopeless that as many as 15,000 Nepalis have taken part in the Russian war in Ukraine. CNN reported that many people were sent to the frontline with minimal training. Some have not returned. Others have returned to pieces physically or emotionally.
Through this crisis, the Nepal government has shown pure indifference. The tragic deaths of these young men were mourned daily, but the nation continued to benefit from the remittances their labor produced. The shaming of injuries, the gorgeous lifestyles of political elites and their children were often shown on social media, highlighting the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The September 8th protest sign captured the mood of “politicians bringing bags of Gucci and our kids coming back to co.”
Amidst the continued turmoil, both pro-professional and Hindu nationalist groups have promoted their respective preferred forms of government. Meanwhile, following the obvious success of the Gen Z movement, protesters are calling for a new constitution and fresh election. In contrast, civil society is fostering solutions within the existing constitution. After a week of uncertainty, President Ram Chandra Puder appointed former Supreme Court Justice Shushira Kalki and supported her integrity and anti-corruption stance as the caretaker Prime Minister.
The church responds with prayer and calls for action
United National Council of Nepal Churches has issued a statement.
In response to the national crisis, churches across the country are mobilised in prayer and are seriously hoping for God’s intervention and lasting peace. United National Council of Nepal Churches issued a statement urging all Christians to be “cautious, vigilant, sensitive and restrained” during this sensitive period. “At this point, the state of the country is like the state of Jerusalem when the city and its walls were broken,” the council said. “In this tragic situation, let us all express our sadness to the young people who have become martyrs during Generation Z and the People’s Movement and pray for the families of their families.”
What should I do if the country can’t survive?
The Nepal pastor expressed deep concern about the situation and confirmed his commitment to focused and passionate prayer. Pastor Phur Jangbu of Boudha Dunamis Church said, “From the second day of the protest, we have begun special prayers in all churches. We usually pray for the people in general, but now is the time to pray specifically for good governance.
“This crisis reveals the lack of consistent prayer from the church. Now we must be on our lap and engaged for our nation. At the same time, we must not hesitate to preach the gospel.”
Prakash Karki was a key figure in the process that allowed the church to legally register as public religious trust, providing a different perspective. Karki emphasized that quiet yet significant progress is being made within Nepal’s Christian community. In particular, ensuring legal awareness and permanence of the Church. He called for a continuous focus on ensuring that the faith community is transparent, responsible and long-term stability, regardless of who has political power.
Over 30 Christian organizations and denominations have thousands of individual congregations and are registered as public religious trust.
Noting that Kalki is registered with thousands of individual congregations, along with over 30 Christian organizations and thousands of individual congregations, he said, “This is the greatest way God has opened up for us. It allows us to operate freely, pay taxes and acquire legal rights.”
Kalki also called on the Christian community to expand its involvement in health care and education, particularly in remote areas that embody both compassion and gospel missions, even basic medicine.
Nepal’s Christian community is the fastest growing in the world despite hostile accusations by the country’s Hindu majority, with churches currently in almost every district.
Nepal is at a historic crossroads.
Nepal is at a historic crossroads. What began as a youth-led call for justice and transparency has become a national calculation. The world is daring to lay out a path full of uncertainty but hopeful looking at a new generation.
This is an opportunity for the Church, especially the younger members, to respond to God’s calling and reach out to their peers across the walls of the church. We urge the global body of Christ to pray diligently for Nepal.
Surendra Bajracharya is a freelance writer and translator of Christian materials based in Kathmandu, Nepal. He previously worked with Tiny Hands Nepal, a nonprofit organization focused on the fight against human trafficking. This takes into account one of the most serious evils facing Nepal today. Surendra is deeply burdened to see the body of Christ turn into salt and light by being involved in the transformation of the nation, both spiritually and socially.
