Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Resigns Amid Widening Youth-Led Protests Against Corruption
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stepped down following days of violent youth-led protests that have gripped the Himalayan nation. News agencies, quoting officials, confirmed Oli’s resignation on Tuesday after hundreds of demonstrators stormed his office in Kathmandu.
Nepal has been witnessing massive unrest since Monday, with students and young citizens leading the charge against corruption, nepotism, and misgovernance.
While the government’s ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, initially triggered public anger, local voices have stressed that the protests were never solely about digital restrictions. Instead, they reflected deeper frustrations over decades of political instability and corruption.
At least 19 protesters were killed on Monday, most of them young people, as police used live ammunition to disperse crowds. More than 350 others were injured, with hospitals in Kathmandu reportedly running low on supplies. Despite curfews and heavy security deployment, protests swelled on Tuesday, spreading across major towns and cities.
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Late Monday, the government reversed the social media ban, but the decision failed to calm the situation. The protests only grew larger, with demonstrators calling for Prime Minister Oli’s resignation and systemic reform.
Earlier in the day, Oli had appealed for calm, announcing that he had called for an all-party meeting to discuss a “meaningful conclusion” to the crisis. “I am in dialogue with the relevant parties to assess the situation and find a meaningful conclusion. For that, I have also called an all-party meeting at 6 pm today. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation,” Oli said.
However, mounting public pressure and the storming of his office by protesters left Oli with little choice but to resign.
Demonstrators also point to years of political instability, noting that no prime minister has completed a full term in over two decades. This lack of continuity has left citizens frustrated with weak governance and unfulfilled promises.
Adding to the anger is Nepal’s jobs crisis. Nearly 5,000 young people reportedly leave the country every day in search of work abroad due to the lack of employment and decent wages at home. Protesters are demanding not just the restoration of social media but also greater accountability, transparency, and systemic reform.
Social media posts say the demonstrations are no longer about digital freedom alone but about citizens’ right to challenge corruption and demand better governance.
