BEYOND “I TOLD YOU SO”

BY NOW EVERYONE KNOWS, THAT NEPAL IS NOT POOR, BUT POORLY MANAGED. THE RULERS HAVE ALWAYS FOUND WAYS TO KEEP THE COUNTRY POOR WHILE LEADING A LIFE OF LUXURY.

GEN Z AT LEAST HAD ONE OUTLET TO VENT THEIR ANGER AND FRUSTRATION AT THE POLITICAL ELITE AND THEIR CHILDREN. THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WERE FULL OF THIS FRUSTRATION; AND THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO SHUT THEM DOWN. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE ADVISORS AND PEOPLE POLITICIANS HAD APPOINTED INTO KEY POSITIONS OF POWER SUPPORTED THIS IDEA.

Nepalis have been angry and unhappy for some time now about the state of affairs. Young people have been seeking economic opportunities abroad while a few back home were flaunting wealth and enjoying a lifestyle that was clearly beyond their means. Anyone travelling to other countries in the neighbourhood of Nepal knew that things had to be better and Nepal has the potential to be so much more.

When riots broke out in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Nepalis were glued to their TV and phone screens with a deep hope that soon, the young generation would rise in a similar manner. They did not have to wait very long. On September 8, 2025 Nepal’s Gen Z decided to take to the streets and what transpired in the next 24 hours will not be forgotten for a long, long time.

Regular course correction

It seems that the people of Nepal run out of patience with their political leadership every ten years. There is a collective sense that change is needed and the question everyone raises is, “Where will the leadership come from?” For some time now many had given up hope in the younger generation because they seemed more obsessed with their social media platforms and the desire to go abroad to seek a better fortune. They seemed distracted from Nepal and the issues that were driving them out of the country. Every Gen Z that decided to take to the street on September 8, 2025 proved this assumption wrong. The young still cared about Nepal and more, willing to step up to change things.

Opulent lifestyle with no income

The real give away indicating that things were not right in Nepal was the opulent lifestyle of the children of corrupt politicians. Their cars, houses, holiday destinations, wedding venues and expenses were helping build up the pile of fuel for Sept 8, 2025. Some of these children were even challenging other young people to lead their lifestyle if they could. In the meantime, ordinary Nepalis coming back for the festivals were harassed at the border for bringing in a few kilograms of sugar and a few extra bags of clothes for the children. The metal free line at TIA has always been mocked by many given how much gold is smuggled into the country. This pile of fuel was just waiting to be ignited.

Bad ideas from bad advisors

Gen Z at least had one outlet to vent their anger and frustration at the political elite and their children. The social media platforms were full of this frustration; and the government decided to shut them down. There is no doubt that the advisors and people politicians had appointed into key positions of power supported this idea. In Nepal we have a saying that at times of self-destruction, people always come up with really bad ideas. It gets worse when you surround yourself with sycophants because they are there to benefit personally and not for the greater good. They were the most incompetent and mediocre people that society could offer. The same situation prevailed before September 8.

Good communication is about listening

There is a saying that the best way to recognize abusers is when they repeatedly say, “All we are doing is for you.” The people of Nepal have heard this many times. They knew who the abusers of power were. The people were constantly talked down by politicians and the media that worked for them. No one was listening. All the political leadership was talking and supported by those around them, many politicians must have begun to feel good about everything they said. Even false praise and applause can be addictive. They were blinded by this false praise. People know how to make a great presentation and give a rousing speech, but what was needed was the ability and skill to listen.

Riot is the language of the unheard

In 1967 at Stanford, Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Riot is the language of the unheard”. While all the chatter was going on, a whole section of Nepal felt unheard and hence excluded. They wanted to march in peace to make themselves heard. The people in power felt invincible and decided to open fire on the Gen Z. Twenty plus youth died and hundreds were hospitalized. The result was the riot of September 9. All generations showed solidarity and what remained at the end of the day were the ashes of government buildings, police stations, homes of politicians, businesses and hotels. Out of the ashes were born an interim government and a new mandate for fresh elections.

Not poor, just poorly managed

By now everyone knows, that Nepal is not poor, but poorly managed. The rulers have always found ways to keep the country poor while leading a life of luxury. Their children lived better than most rich people in developed economies, without having to do any work. Blaming the topography, blaming the neighbors, and pointing the finger at one another was the game they had mastered. They had weakened all the state institutions to such a point that their own property and lives could be secured. They got a taste of the incompetency that they had nurtured over the decades.

Talent is universal

Nepalis have proven that they are second-to-non globally. What they lack are opportunities to prove their worth at home. The anger among Gen Z on September 8 came from being humiliated by the children of the corrupt, and being shot at by the state. All they were demanding were good governance, the end to corruption and free access to information. Gen Z are angry with the rulers of Nepal, they are worried about their own economic future and love their country so much that they are willing to be martyrs. Let us listen to them and commit ourselves to national building.