After Uprising, Nepal’s Gen Z Rush to Register to Vote

AFP/APP

Kathmandu: In Nepal’s capital, young would-be voters are lining up enthusiastically to register for the first elections since deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government — the worst unrest the country has seen in decades.

For many, it will be their first time participating in an election, and they see it as a chance to shape the future of their country of 30 million people, burdened by deep economic woes.

At least 73 people were killed in the September 8–9 protests that left parliament, courts, and government buildings in flames.

The unrest was triggered by a brief ban on social media but fuelled by long-standing frustration over economic hardship and corruption.

Within days of the government’s collapse, 73-year-old former chief justice Sushila Karki was appointed interim prime minister to steer the Himalayan nation until elections on March 5, 2026.

“The pillar of this new government is built on the dead bodies of students,” said student Niranjan Bhandari, 21, as he waited to provide biometric data to complete his registration.

“That’s why, in the upcoming election, we want to uproot the old faces who have been clinging to power for too long,” he added.

“I’m here to register for my new voter identity card for that very reason.”

Nepal’s political future now hangs in the balance.

The challenges ahead to ensure the elections pass off smoothly are immense — including deep public distrust in Nepal’s established political parties.

It remains unclear whether protesters and youth will try to form their own party or if veteran politicians will attempt to return.

The government has imposed a travel ban on former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, 73, the Marxist leader who served four times before being forced from power, as a commission investigates the unrest.

But Oli remains outspoken, calling for the reinstatement of the parliament “that was unconstitutionally dissolved,” in an address to supporters earlier this month.

The unrest also battered Nepal’s already fragile economy, where the World Bank estimates that 82 percent of the workforce is in informal employment, with GDP per capita at just $1,447 in 2024.

The Bank this month updated its economic assessment for Nepal, warning that “recent unrest and heightened political and economic uncertainty are expected to cause growth to decline” to 2.1 percent.

At a district Election Commission office in Kathmandu, however, the excitement among the younger generation is clear.

“I’m really excited,” said 20-year-old student Sambriddhi Gautam, who is studying to be a chartered accountant in neighbouring India. “This will be my first time participating in an election.”

Gautam said she returned home to register to make sure she could take part.

Samiksha Adhikari, 32, a business consultant, also waited to apply for her voter identity card.

“We need to bring in new faces who can stop corruption and make the country better,” she said.

“That’s why I’m here. I want to cast my vote for those who truly work for the good of the nation.”

In Nepal’s last general elections in 2022, nearly 18 million people were registered to vote. All Nepalis aged 18 and above are eligible to cast their ballot, with the deadline to register ending in November.

Sirjana Rayamajhi, 38, spokesperson at the district election office in Kathmandu, said she had never seen such enthusiasm before.

“The turnout is very high,” she said.

“Gen Z have come here to register their names with a lot of excitement. They want a new generation to bring change to the country. These days, the queue is only them.”