Corruption in Nepal: From Integrity Icons to Gen Z’s Revolt Against Nepo Kids
- Rotten&Co.
- Sep 25
- 14 min read
As a fan of wordplay and randomness, I have to begin by addressing a few unfortunately fortuitous links and a fact or two. Firstly, the shared prefix of the words Nepotism and Nepal. Nepotism comes from the French Népotisme by way of the Italian, Nepotismo which is from Nipote - meaning nephew. While the origin of the name Nepal is uncertain, it's possibly from one following; a founding cowherd called Nepa; a protecting sage called Ne (Pala meaning protect) or Nepala, meaning 'abode at the foot of the mountain'. All quite reasonable, I think there are more theories too - suffice to say, the origins of the two words aren't the same.
The second is the name of the now multi-time-ex Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli (cka K.P Sharma Oli). I just want to add the word Garch (or Gark) to the end, why not add another... Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli Garch. It's perfect. It's official. If he has a relative called, Ravi, even better. Come on, I'm allowed to burn him, he's a bad guy.
Thirdly, The Kathmandu Post (TKP) has the best slogan ever, which is - WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. Strong. A largely free press has been key to anti-corruption movements.
And lastly, just something cool to note, and a large part of the economy is the fact that, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is home to eight of the ten highest mountains on this dirty ball of Earth. From the top, Mount Everest (8,848.86 m), Kanchenjunga (8,598 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Makalu (8,485 m), Cho Oyu (8,188 m), Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), Manaslu (8,163 m), and Annapurna I (8,091 m). I sure do love mountains and drama, if you do too, and haven't seen 14 Peaks or Mountain Queen (both on Netflix), you might enjoy them.
Real Quick History
For context, here's a quick history of the Nepalese government. It's quite eventful and lays the foundation for current tumultuous affairs. The country was a unified monarchy in various forms from 1768 to 1990, when the People's Movement forced King Birendra to accept a constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. After a royal massacre in 2001 in which the King was killed, King Gyanendra took the throne. In 2005 he dismissed the government and seized absolute power (and we know what that does!). Running alongside all this (since 1996) was a violent Maoist (communist) insurgency against inequality and the monarchy. However, in 2006, after mass democratic movements and protests by insurgents, political parties and civil society, parliament was restored.
And then on 28 May 2008, a newly elected constituent assembly formally abolished the monarchy and declared a federal democratic republic. In October 2015, K.P. Sharma Oli Garch became prime minister, his party losing power a year later. He was then re-elected in 2018, 2021, and in 2024. His party is the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist, UML), and his net worth is reportedly, approximately £15.7m / $21.4m / NRs 300 Crore - not too shabby.
So, as you may gather, some people lived happily ever after, as did their nepo-babies, and nepo-kids, everyone else didn't. Most who did were part of the established order - political party members and elite families, networks from the days of monarchy that transitioned into patronage and patrimonialism. There was an element of stability through this state capture but you know how it goes, the rich get richer, blah, blah, bloody blah-stards...
The recent riots were a result of years of systemic, visible corruption and anti-corruption rhetoric, and were ignited by the recent social media ban. Social media had seen the children of prominent politicians flaunting their wealth, not only is this in poor taste in general but in a lower-income country riddled with corruption, and with a strong anti-corruption movement, you're asking for trouble. It was countered by the public running a "Nepo Kid / nepo-baby" campaign (in August/early Sept 2025). Soon after, a social media ban was imposed, asking companies to sign up for greater government oversight - most didn't and violent protests ensued. The police responded not with rubber-bullets but with live ammunition, for some rotten reason, leaving 72 protesters dead and over 2000 injured.
...corruption is meant for the shadows, not instagram.
What is Nepotism, what are Nepo Kids?
Just a quick overview then. The initial beneficiaries of corruption are the parents of these kids, ministers, politicians and so on. Their government connections, schemes and scandals have served to enrich them, whether it's skimming money from government projects, taking bribes, trading favours or making sure their own businesses get government deals - examples of all these can be found in the history of Nepalese corruption.
Nepotism is when someone in power gives jobs, promotions, opportunities or advantages to their family — even if the family member is not qualified or suited to the role.
So, what the 'Nepo Kids' and 'Nepo Babies' are, is the beneficiaries of their parents' power, money and influence. It originated in the US, where kids of Hollywood stars got into tv shows and movies with ease. In Nepal it was about the kids of politicians. If these kids get into foreign university, are offered jobs, are given gifts, are paid to be influencers or brand ambassadors, any benefit they receive is tainted. The thought is that they wouldn't have these opportunities if it wasn't for their parents. And their parents are more likely than not, dirty, rotten, corrupt people. Once framed with the challenges the average Nepali youth face, it's a stark contrast.
Now to be fair on the kids it's not their fault, they might be clueless to their parents activities and the ways of the world. But this is unlikely - corruption is meant for the shadows, not instagram, and you reap what you sow. I haven't got time to into the psychology of it all, but some options are, the children will have been; lied to and are therefore ignorant of the misdeeds, in denial as anti-corruption rhetoric is rife, wilfully blind because it's easier, or scumbags like their parents.
Language Creates Culture.
Here is why the Nepo kids vs Gen Z got me thinking. It's about exposure, language and culture. I was curious as to how much corruption was discussed in the media in Nepal after reading an article that expressed a good level of press freedom, considering the levels of corruption (by various metrics perceptions, scandals, patronage networks). This is common in highly corrupt countries (Bangladesh and Sri Lanka come to mind - Philippines coming soon...?), where state capture is so ingrained that the headlines are merely smudged footnotes of reality. I wondered to what extent this went. A quick search showed a high instance of usage, so I did a bit of further lazy analysis.
I decided to search the word 'corrupt' in Nepalese publications, and see if I could compare it to other publications in the UK (my base) and the USA. Just to see if anything interesting came up. The Himalayan Times and The Kathmandu Post are the number one and two daily Nepalese, English language broadsheets respectively. To simplify I've gone a year back from 17 Sept 2025, and am searching for all instances (headlines and in article) of the word corrupt, which will automatically include/search for corrupt, corruption and anti-corruption.
The Himalayan Times is a Nepal based outlet with global scope, for the 12 months I got 210 articles, not instances - if we average x5 to get a rough idea (guided by TKP below - but is likely higher), we get 1050 - just for a comparison with those sites that give all instances.
The Kathmandu Post (TKP) website has more national focus, and it returns 8,850 results (all instances) over 100 articles in the timeframe so, an average of 8.8 instances. We have to account for the recent headlines as a booster but that figure is quite high - and from a quick scan, almost all the instances are in Nepal, granted some articles feature the words up to 10 times, but that's my point - language creates culture. Again, that's in any headlines and articles, and includes any instances of the words.
Moving away from Nepal to the USA, there were 1,030 for the New York Times for the year and CNN had 12 articles in the 12 month timeframe - I'm not that familiar with this one, honest, but I am hoping something went wrong and that isn't accurate.
In the UK, the BBC News site made me work as it didn't show a total or allow filters. And the grand total for the above timeframe of 12 months is... 78 (this seemed to be in title only - so I would x5 for total mentions, giving 390). The Guardian is an anti-corruption advocate in all but name, though it had me baffled as the search bar redirected to Google to search, which probably makes this an unfair test. However, the number didn't disappoint at around 6,790 for the year.
You might say these outlets/the West has a wider scope and bigger problems than corruption. I would say they are global papers and no they don't. I know this is a fast and loose little example but what I'm attempting to show is that the Nepalese conversation around corruption has been active and pointed. It has been part of the mainstream narrative in recent history, and a cursory search shows the same going back further. Yea, it's probably also related to search engine optimisation (SEO), but if that's the case then it shows they have readers focused on the subject.
I'm not going to try to prove this per se, I will frame it as one of a number of potential sources of empowerment for the anti-corruption movement and protesters. I know of another thing that might have contributed to giving civil society the impetus to take action - other than final trigger of pure outrage.
Quick Flashback
Before we look at the other contributing factor, let me take you back to 2014. A year in which ISIS were running amok and Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, when Russia annexed Crimea, the Ukrainian Revolution kicked off and the ice bucket challenge was doing the rounds (I know right, doesn't seem that long ago). What will make it feel like ages ago, is that Gangnam style hit 1 billion views (still going strong on 5.7 billion now - yes I did just watch it). But most importantly (for this article), in 2014, Integrity Idol was founded in Nepal.
What is Integrity Icon?
Well, for starters, Integrity Icon is the updated name of Integrity Idol which was founded in Nepal in 2014. It is run by the Accountability Lab, founded in 2012 "as an effort to work with young people to develop new ideas for accountability, transparency and open government." The idea was to 'name and fame' (their words) honest government officials each year with the public nominating entrants, and a panel of respected social leaders choosing the winners (often in various categories, education, health, etc). Eligibility per their website;
"Public servants who work with integrity to consistently high standards in their engagement with the public, and those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, are eligible to be nominated as an Integrity Icon. Their conduct should be exemplary and admirable, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. Preference is given to local level officials..."
I learned about this during my post graduate course. It's a lauded scheme around the world, it gives locals hope, and an interesting angle of analysis for anti-corruption academics. It has been adopted in 12 countries (not always annually) and is going strong. Obviously, it is generally aimed at countries that have a high level of corruption. It's a great idea and effective idea of promoting anti-corruption narrative and showing that there are some good people out there. They also offer an integrity school and fellowship.
Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out well. The 2023 reward (Nepal) was revoked after the winner was found to acted inappropriately with a female colleague. Not sure if that was before or after he won, but it only takes one a-hole to sh*t over everyones good work - I hope it didn't undermine the reward too much. Let's have a look at some of the recent winners in 2024.
Sarmila Subedi, Public Health Inspector - her efforts have been key in ensuring access of underserved communities to healthcare and building their trust in the healthcare system. She created accessible health institutions for marginalized women from Muslim communities, convincing locals to abandon shamanic/spiritual healer practices and even relocating the entire health services center closer to the communities.
Bodha Raj Pathak, Education Officer - he designed and implemented an 88-point plan to elevate the quality of not one but all 59 schools within his municipality - also introducing a teacher exchange program.
Manpuran Chaudhary, Section Officer, Office of Chitwan National Park - he leads a team of 155 staff and oversees 55 elephants. He is an exemplary public servant with expertise in caring and managing elephants, with exceptional humility towards his work and team, and demonstrates strong leadership.
Meera Kumari Yadav, Public Health Nursing Officer - In Dolakha’s challenging (hilly) geography, she not only organized mobile camps for women suffering from uterine prolapse, but also ensured arrangements for women who could not reach the health centres on their own. She also arranged free treatment for them.
Manahar Kadariya, Senior Agriculture Development Officer - he fixed the price of 35 products of the region that resolved the issue of farmers not getting fair prices, and established agricultural markets in various locations to address marketing issues. He was involved in developing a mobile application called “Pokhara Agriculture”. The app facilitates information dissemination, determining daily market prices and managing program requests for farmers.
Nice. Think about the local news in your country or city, do you hear about these kinds of people, these kinds of initiatives? Is that because you live in a terrible area with horrible people, because the news is a bit rubbish, or is it the algorithm picking up on your doom-scrolling habits!?
I considered creating a list of the ministers and their kids who most embody the anti-integrity lives that they've lived and loved but my blood pressure wasn't feeling up to it.
Culture Creates Integrity
Integrity Icon was born due to a need to recognise that there were people doing a good job, creating initiatives to help their area, department of government and their country. To shine a light in the darkness. I'm sure there were other initiatives, but I think this one rightly got the spotlight, it was on the internet, on TV and it was a big deal that slowly brought attention where it was needed. With that attention came an intention to show that it wasn't a hopeless battle, to make it clear to the citizens that they can join the conversation and learn about the fundamentals of 'what good looks like' and what they deserve.
Of course, all my wafflings are speculative and are laced with a drug fuelled optimism - that drug, is empowered hope. Not just hope, but creating a tangible instance of hope that actually brings forth ideas of potential change, not just empty expectation.
There is a reason a free press is important, it's because language creates culture.
They have held Integrity Icon (Idol) for a decade, and that is empowered hope finding it's way into the conversation, seeping into minds and words, into headlines and into culture. Dictators and authoritarian rulers take note. There is a reason that a free press is important, it's because language creates culture. And if you really want to rule unchallenged then you have to take that out of the equation, even if you have almost everything else under tyrannical control. In the words of Eminems old rap group, D12, '...my words are weapons.' I hope there aren't any filthy tyrants reading this.
The internet and social media has been prevalent and ubiquitous in Nepal since Integrity Icon was created, and it became part of the anti-corruption landscape. The people that protested, that rioted, had grown-up with that in their hands, and all those headlines piled up in front of their faces for year upon year. When 'Gen-Z' decided to speak out about the nepo-kids, their peers, they faced the personification of inequality and corruption. They gathered, communicated and spoke-out for change until, that channel of communication was taken away.
To say Social Media is a form of language isn't exactly right; it's a form of communication, of transmission. But if language is the principal form of communication, then these days, social media is a second language. And if theres one thing kids don't like, it's being told to shut up - granted it wasn't all kids nobody likes being to shut up, especially when they're talking sense and bristling raw sensitivity when all they can see is injustice.
Integrity Creates Change
The people who stood up understood what was happening, they knew what integrity looked like and they knew what had to happen for real change. It's a tragedy that 72 people had to die to stop corruption - that was a direct result of corruption. Not to mention all those that suffered poverty and an unjust system of kleptocracy for decades. Corruption kills. And while they are over a massive hurdle, the next one is even bigger.
They have to have a full do-over, it's a massive job, but the corrupt sensibilities of the whole government have to be scrubbed clean. If they remove the top level and leave the one below, the same behaviour will continue. The reviews, controls and monitoring systems they implement have to have the integrity both structural and social that started this upheaval and re-organisation.
Sushila Karki Nepal's former Supreme Court chief justice is now Nepals first female Prime Minister. She and her team have a massive job ahead. There will be genuine worries and false claims about the power she now wields as an unelected official. The new PM has inducted 7 new ministers so far, they all seem like decent blokes - they are all men - let's see how things develop. The PM said she wants out after 6 months, when an election will be held. I think that's optimistic but hope she can lay the groundwork. She'll have to go full integrity, to the max, if she wants to get the hell out of that place...
In the end...
I am a bit fast and loose with my writing and my research so I hope there aren't any glaring errors and that you get the point. Oh the point is, that language creates culture, and the anti-corruption conversation in Nepal over the years, what integrity looks like and the focus by the media on abuses of power by the government accumulated in the end of oli-garchy. I'm sure there are loads of other publications and anti-corruption initiatives in Nepal but I had to keep it tight. It's taken the Nepalese people a long time to get here, and now I hope they can make the institutional, judicial and administrative changes they need to. I've heard that some citizens want the return of the monarchy, crowns and tiara's aside, that is an interesting viewpoint to say the least. I suppose, at the least, the monarchy has the permission of the people to be pointless, greedy, corrupt show-ponies.
There are, I'm sure, plenty of kleptocrats in waiting. Hoping for the chance, planning and scheming to make moves and money from any opportunities that present themselves in this time of restructuring. I want Nepal to succeed. They've made it this far. But I just can't see it working out unless they purge the existing constituent assembly (600 or so members - a hot bed of a hot mess) of anyone that has even that has a whiff of a corrupt connection or significant business interests built during their time in government. A bit harsh you say. I say hard times call for harsh measures. At lower levels when there's been a local corruption scandal, there have been so many people implicated in the same institution that they haven't got the people left to operate the place properly. But, they really need to hit this from the ground up as well.
The Nepalese ministers under KP Sharma Oli Garch were required to share their net worth, assets and holdings, they did so without shame - it wasn't pretty, Oli Garch's figures mentioned above weren't even at the top. Even if some have minor business interests it's just impossible to differentiate them from their governmental positions and ties to business. I'm surprised these top boys didn't lay claim to a mountain each.
It's a hard mountain road ahead for the new Prime Minister Sushila Karki and her team, but she's known for her firsts, first female Supreme Court Chief Justice, first female PM, the first (or second) Supreme Court Judge to jail a serving minister for corruption, and now she needs to be the first person right at the top to take anti-corruption seriously. I hope to return to the TKP website and do the same search in a years time with very few hits and a lot of positive movement. I also hope see the PM succeed and for her to be nominated for Integrity Icon 2026...
Thanks for stopping by.
Alvin
Links & Things.
BBC Article post the protests
Integrity Icon Nepal
Nepalese Corruption Scandals.
Sushila Karki background
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