The dust has settled on the streets of Kathmandu, but the silence left behind is becoming expensive. Three months after a youth-led uprising stormed parliament and forced a regime change, Nepal is discovering that the price of revolution is often paid in empty wallets and shuttered businesses.

For Kenyans who watched their own "Gen Z" movement reshape the political landscape, the unfolding crisis in the Himalayas serves as a sobering case study on the fragile gap between political victory and economic stability. While the September 8–9 protests successfully dismantled a government accused of stagnation, the resulting vacuum has sent the economy into a tailspin just as the country prepares for critical elections on March 5.

The Human Cost of Upheaval

Behind the headlines of political maneuvering lies the grit of daily survival. The unrest, which claimed 76 lives and left key infrastructure—including the national parliament—damaged, has severed the lifelines of the working class.

Kamal Gautam, a 40-year-old father of two, represents the collateral damage of the transition. Until September, he worked in the kitchens of the Hyatt Regency. When rioters looted the hotel during the chaos, the establishment closed its doors, leaving Gautam without an income.

"My family depended entirely on my salary," Gautam told AFP from his cramped one-room home in Kathmandu. "It's been three months since my salary stopped, and I have no idea how to support my family."

Gautam’s plight is not unique. Analysts note that the hospitality sector, a pillar of Nepal's economy much like Kenya's tourism industry, has taken a massive hit. The looting of major international hotels sends a chilling signal to foreign investors, who crave stability above all else.

A Economy in Reverse

The economic indicators are flashing red. Experts warn that the nation has effectively been pushed backward. The initial trigger for the protests—a government ban on social media—ignited a powder keg of frustration over corruption and lack of opportunity. However, the aftermath has exacerbated the very unemployment issues that drove the youth to the streets.

• Investment Freeze: Foreign direct investment has collapsed as donors and corporations wait for the March elections.
• Infrastructure Damage: The repair bill for government buildings and private property runs into millions of dollars.
• Market Jitters: The local instability is compounded by global fears, as markets track Wall Street losses ahead of US Federal Reserve decisions.

The Kenyan Parallel

The terminology used in Kathmandu echoes loudly in Nairobi. The protests were spearheaded under the "Gen Z" umbrella, a global moniker for a generation demanding accountability, digital freedom, and economic dignity.

However, the trajectory in Nepal offers a stark warning. While the removal of an unpopular administration is a political milestone, the lack of a cohesive economic transition plan can lead to immediate hardship. For the thousands of Nepali youth who marched for a better future, the immediate reality is a harsh winter of joblessness.

As the March 5 elections approach, the interim leadership faces the Herculean task of convincing the world that Nepal is open for business, even as its citizens struggle to put food on the table.