Kathmandu, Mar 1: The ostentatious social media displays of politicians’ children, dubbed “nepo kids”, that once fuelled a wave of Gen Z anger in Nepal have largely faded from public view, but corruption has emerged as the central issue ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
Lavish posts showcasing designer gifts, luxury holidays and extravagant weddings triggered widespread outrage last year in a country grappling with 20.6 per cent youth unemployment and nearly three million citizens working abroad.
“The kids of big politicians celebrate special occasions in places like Thailand and Switzerland… But, the children of the general public are forced to go to Gulf countries to find jobs,” said Satish Kumar Yadav, a 25-year-old lab technician.
Public anger intensified after a proposed ban on social media platforms, prompting thousands to take to the streets on September 8. Within two days, 77 people were killed in clashes, and the then prime minister KP Oli stepped down amid mounting pressure.
In the months since, several high-profile political offspring have either deleted or restricted their social media accounts. Former Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada reportedly shut down her Instagram account, while Smita Dahal set hers to private. Entrepreneur Saugat Thapa, however, continues to post images of an international lifestyle, though such content no longer appears to provoke the same backlash.
“I think many people have forgotten the nepo babies trend… Our attention spans these days is very short,” said protester Dipika Saru Mugar.
While the social media outrage may have subsided, concerns about nepotism and corruption remain strong. According to Transparency International, 84 per cent of Nepalis believe government corruption is a major problem.
In December, five former ministers were charged in connection with allegedly inflating the cost of a new airport project by USD 74 million. Two other former cabinet ministers were charged in a separate scam involving fake documents that allowed Nepalis to pose as Bhutanese refugees to enter the United States.
Corruption was a major factor behind the political unrest that led to the resignation of KP Oli and the announcement of fresh elections.
“We gave many opportunities to the old set of political leaders. But, the people were cheated time and again,” Yadav said, citing poor infrastructure, weak education systems and inadequate healthcare facilities.
As campaigning gathers pace, political parties have pledged reforms aimed at restoring public trust. The Rastriya Swatantra Party has promised to strengthen constitutional accountability mechanisms, while the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has vowed to mobilise youth in political transformation and national development.
The Nepali Congress has proposed a high-level investigation into the assets of public office holders dating back to 1991. It has also removed five-time former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba as party president amid internal reform efforts.
“They forced it and made reforms within the party… I think this is a good practice and can be helpful to dismantle policy corruption,” said Gen Z leader Rakshya Bam, while cautioning that deeper structural reforms are needed.
A source within Transparency International said tackling entrenched corruption would be a long-term challenge. “Since this is a structural problem, it won’t be quick and easy,” the source said.
Young voters remain sceptical, arguing that meaningful change will depend on whether new political faces can break the cycle of patronage politics.
“The revolt was the result of a pain and I think that people should remember that while casting their votes,” Mugar said. “Common people have been facing a lot of injustice and I want karma to be served.”
