Nepal marks first anniversary of Gen Z uprising as families criticise prime minister's absence

Nepal marked the first anniversary on Tuesday of the Gen Z protests that erupted on 8 September 2025 against government corruption, nepotism and a temporarily imposed ban on social media platforms. The five-day uprising, in which dozens of young people were killed, forced then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign within a day of the unrest beginning. Within a week, Sushila Karki, the country's former chief justice, had been appointed interim prime minister to lead Nepal through the crisis.

The government designated Tuesday as Gen Z Martyrs' Day and declared it a public holiday. Ministers, lawmakers, civil society activists and ordinary citizens gathered in Kathmandu to honour those who died, according to Nepali media outlets including the Kathmandu Post and Nepalnews. Sushila Karki, who is no longer prime minister, addressed the gathering and, according to Radio Nepal, urged "sincere efforts for good governance and transformation." She reflected on the disabilities and lasting injuries suffered by many young protesters.

However, the Kathmandu Post reported that families of those killed openly questioned the current prime minister's absence from the anniversary events. They interpreted this as a sign that the government's commitment to the uprising's key demands—accountability and anti-corruption reform—had declined. Al Jazeera, assessing the anniversary, examined whether the movement's core demands had been realised a year on, noting the significant leadership changes the protests had achieved.

The anniversary comes as Nepal continues to address the political and social aftermath of the uprising, which remains one of the most significant instances of youth-driven political change in South Asia in recent years.