Deposed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has shifted from military protection to a private residence, marking a significant move after days of political turbulence and violent protests in Nepal. According to Nepal Army sources, Oli had been under the army’s security for nine days after resigning from his post on September 9, following the escalation of the Gen Z protest movement. He had initially taken shelter in an army barracks, likely in the Shivapuri forest area to the north of Kathmandu, after demonstrators turned violent.
Media reports indicate that Oli has now relocated to a private house in the Gundu area of Bhaktapur district, about 15 kilometres east of the capital. His official residence in Balkot was targeted and set ablaze by protesters on September 9, the same day he resigned. At the time, Oli was at the Prime Minister’s Office in Balkot, which also sustained damage when protesters partially burned the premises. He was safely rescued from the escalating violence by a Nepal Army helicopter.
Oli’s move comes in the broader context of heightened political unrest, which has forced several former prime ministers and senior leaders to temporarily seek army protection. Leaders such as Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, Jhalanath Khanal, and Madhav Kumar Nepal had also taken shelter under military security, though most have since returned to private residences. The notable exception is Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, former foreign minister Arazu Rana Deuba, both of whom remain under army protection while receiving hospital treatment for injuries sustained during the protests.
Despite the turmoil, Oli’s party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), is planning to hold a programme to mark Constitution Day on September 19 at Chyasal in Lalitpur district. However, it remains uncertain whether Oli himself will make a public appearance at the event, given the volatile security environment.
Nepal is preparing for major Constitution Day celebrations on September 19, corresponding to Ashoj 3 in the Bikram Era calendar. The occasion commemorates the promulgation of the constitution on September 20, 2015, after a decade-long process of drafting through the Constituent Assembly. The government has announced a public holiday and will host a grand event in Kathmandu, which will be attended by President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the Nepal Army chief, ministers, and other dignitaries.
Oli’s return to private residence reflects both a step toward normalcy in his personal circumstances and the continued uncertainty surrounding Nepal’s political landscape in the wake of mass protests that have shaken the establishment.
