Hami Nepal, the NGO that led the protests that led to the new government
Emerging out of the rubble of the 2015 earthquake, the group has worked across the country for the past ten years to help people in need, earning trust for its transparent management of funds. In its anti-corruption campaigns, it has become a point of reference for young Nepalis disillusioned with the country’s political elite. It also organised the online poll that led to the appointment of Sushila Karki as caretaker prime minister, who will now lead the country through the 2026 elections.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – The protests that rocked Nepal last week, culminating in the formation of a new caretaker government following the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oil, signal the rise of Generation Z in the country’s politics.
Within the movement, the Hami Nepal (We are Nepal) association – an NGO founded in the wake of the 2015 earthquake that devastated the country – led the mobilisation, playing a role in negotiations between young protesters and the military.
Sudan Gurung, who lost his son in the 2015 earthquake tragedy that killed 9,000 people, decided to turn his grief into a collective commitment.
In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group registered and gained recognition in Nepali society for the speed and transparency with which it distributed aid.
Guided by the motto "For the people, by the people," Hami Nepal sought to connect donors and beneficiaries directly, avoiding waste and excessive red tape, issues that directly affect people under 30 and led to the protests against the ruling class over corruption.
From the start, the association has been based on a strict principle: 100 per cent of donations go to aid, while volunteers self-fund operating costs.
Recognising the dissatisfaction of the younger generation in recent years, Hami Nepal launched the #youthsagainstcorruption campaign, which quickly gained traction on social media.
Last week’s protests have shown how Instagram and Discord, an app used by video game enthusiasts, have become central tools for disseminating information and coordinating demonstrations.
The trending of the hashtag #Nepobaby on TikTok, used to refer to the privileges of politicians' children who show off their flashy lifestyle on social media, further fuelled the anger of many young people, disillusioned by the difficult economic situation.
It is not hard to imagine why unrest erupted after the previous government decided to block dozens of social media platforms.
Hami Nepal's role has not stopped at nonviolently coordinating the protests. With the government’s downfall, the association was involved in the first talks with the military, exposing itself to some criticism.
Some groups are critical of Sudan Gurung, who worked as a DJ before founding the NGO, of not representing the plurality of the movement, accusing him of monopolising contacts with the military leadership.
The choice of the caretaker prime minister reflects the movement's fragmentation. Hami Nepal backed Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, 35, for the post, while other groups supported instead former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki.
The new PM was chosen in a virtual poll on the Discord app created and managed by Hami Nepal. An online debate saw the participation of more than 10,000 people, many from the diaspora.
Karki promised to heed the protesters' demands to "end corruption”. To this end, she dissolved parliament yesterday, setting the stage for the next election on 5 March 2026.
Still, many believe that Shah could be the next prime minister.
“We must work with the Gen Z mindset," said Karki, 73, known for her defence of an independent judiciary.
According to the World Bank, one fifth of the people aged 15 to 24 are unemployed in a country of 30 million.
“What this group is demanding is an end to corruption, good governance, and economic equality," said the new caretaker prime minister, who was chosen with the approval of Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and President Ram Chandra Paudel.
The names of other members of the caretaker cabinet were announced this morning: Rameshwore Prasad Khanal becomes Finance Minister, after recently recommending a series of economic reforms; Kulman Ghising, an engineer who headed the state-owned electricity company and fought to prevent power outages in rural areas, was appointed Energy Minister; and Om Prakash Aryal, a human rights lawyer and advisor to the mayor of Kathmandu, will serve as Interior Minister.
The "process is being carefully carried out, so that it consists of skilled and capable youth," Hami Nepal said on a social media platform. Meanwhile, it continues to play a mediation role.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the riots was revised and now stands at 72.
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14/09/2024 14:42
