KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepal’s capital began edging back to normal on Saturday after days of violent anti-corruption protests that toppled the government, left parliament in flames, and claimed at least 51 lives.
Markets reopened, traffic resumed, and families thronged temples as the military scaled down its presence on the streets of Kathmandu, where soldiers had been deployed in large numbers since Wednesday.
The unrest — the deadliest since the 2008 abolition of the monarchy and the end of a decade-long civil war — forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign earlier in the week. His whereabouts remain unknown.
On Friday night, former chief justice Sushila Karki, 73, was sworn in as interim prime minister, becoming the first woman to lead the Himalayan nation.
Her appointment followed intense negotiations between President Ram Chandra Paudel, army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and youth representatives driving the protests.
“We think the prime minister — our former chief justice — will address Nepal’s fight against corruption and take good governance forward,” said Suraj Bhattarai, 51, a social worker in Kathmandu.
The new government comes with elections scheduled for March 5, 2026, after parliament was dissolved.
Youth Power and Discord Debates
Much of the protest movement was driven by young activists, loosely branded as “Gen Z”, who used online platforms like Discord to coordinate and eventually propose Karki as their preferred leader.
Durga Magar, 23, a shop attendant, said the appointment offered hope. “The main issue for the people, especially young people, at this time is corruption. It doesn’t matter who tackles it — it just needs to stop.”
Challenges Ahead
Nepal faces steep challenges: a fifth of young people are unemployed, GDP per capita is just $1,447, and more than 12,500 prisoners remain at large after escaping during the unrest.
Analysts say the crisis marks a rejection of the country’s “musical chairs” politics, where ageing leaders traded power for decades.
“They were playing a game of musical chairs,” said Kathmandu businessman Shikhar Bajracharya, 32. “There was no possibility for younger people to come into power.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday offered “best wishes” to Karki, pledging New Delhi’s commitment to Nepal’s “peace, progress, and prosperity.”
For now, calm has returned to Kathmandu — but the hope for a corruption-free Nepal, many say, will be Karki’s biggest test.
