Young activists who toppled Nepal's government now picking new leaders

A youth-driven protest movement that toppled Nepal’s government is now at the center of the country’s political future, with its organizers moving swiftly to shape a new interim administration.

At the heart of the movement is Sudan Gurung, a 36-year-old former DJ who founded Hami Nepal (“We Are Nepal”), a little-known non-profit until this year. Using the Discord app, a platform more familiar to gamers than political activists. Gurung and his team managed to rally tens of thousands of young Nepalese into the streets, forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to step down after weeks of chaos.
Protesters said the group used VPNs to bypass a government ban on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, sending out calls to action that spread rapidly through online networks. “I joined a Discord group with about 400 people, and within hours we were marching just a few kilometers from parliament,” said Karan Kulung Rai, an 18-year-old student who participated in the demonstrations.
Hami Nepal’s influence soon outgrew the internet. Its early posts were even quoted on national television, while the group also worked to counter misinformation by flagging “fake news” and sharing emergency hotlines as protests turned violent.
What began as a youth uprising has now evolved into something more serious: direct involvement in governance. Several members told local media that Gurung and other leaders of Hami Nepal have been in closed-door meetings with Nepal’s president and army chief, pushing for a clean break from the old political class. They successfully lobbied for former Chief Justice Sushila Karki—celebrated for her uncompromising stance against corruption—to serve as Nepal’s first woman prime minister in an interim role until fresh elections scheduled for March 5.
Speaking at his first press conference after the protests, Gurung declared: “The power lies with the people. Every corrupt politician will be brought to justice.” His words resonated with demonstrators, many of them part of Nepal’s so-called “Gen Z” movement, who had demanded a government free of entrenched political elites.
Behind the scenes, Gurung and his colleagues are now engaged in intense discussions about cabinet positions. According to members of Hami Nepal, some officials appointed under Oli’s administration are likely to be removed. “Meetings between Karki and the group are ongoing. The cabinet lineup will be finalized soon,” one source said.
On Instagram, the group promised that the new administration would include “skilled and capable youth”, signaling a generational shift in Nepal’s power structure.
The stakes are high. Last Monday’s protests—the deadliest political unrest in decades—erupted after the government blocked access to several social media platforms. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces left at least 72 dead and more than 1,300 injured, fueling widespread anger over corruption and censorship.