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From Kampala to City Hall: Zohran Mamdani’s Historic Rise in New York
From Uganda to Queens, Zohran Mamdani’s rise is sending shockwaves through American politics – and catching the world’s attention.
In a night that’s already being called a political earthquake, Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman with Ugandan roots and a millennial mindset, is on track to become New York City’s first Muslim mayoral nominee.
With 95% of votes counted in the Democratic primary, Mamdani holds a significant lead – 43% to former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 36% – upending the establishment with a campaign powered not by big money, but by ordinary New Yorkers.
“This is the beginning of something new,” Mamdani told an ecstatic crowd. “I will be your Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City.”
And the city – and country – are listening.
The son of Kampala, the voice of Queens
Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani was just seven when his family moved to the United States. Raised in Queens, he’s the son of two intellectual and artistic giants: renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Professor Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent academic at Columbia University. His upbringing was rich with culture, politics, and the belief that organising could change the world.
Before diving into politics, Mamdani worked on the ground – as a housing counsellor helping families avoid eviction. Today, he’s the face of a progressive wave redefining the Democratic Party in one of the most diverse cities on earth.
Not your usual campaign
Mamdani’s campaign has been anything but typical. Videos in Urdu, snippets of Bollywood, speeches in Spanish, and a viral subway burrito fast-breaker during Ramadan – this is politics, Gen Z edition. One day he’s plunging into the Atlantic to visualise a rent freeze, and the next he’s walking the length of Manhattan shaking hands.
He’s married to Rama Duwaji, a Syrian artist based in Brooklyn. They met, fittingly, on Hinge – the dating app that “was designed to be deleted.”
It’s a love story, a political story, and a generational shift all rolled into one.
Fighting for affordability in the world’s most expensive city
In Mamdani’s New York, rent is frozen, childcare is free, and buses are too.
His platform reads like a wishlist for working-class families:
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Free bus rides across the city
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Universal childcare for children under 5
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A chain of city-run grocery stores to tackle food insecurity
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Strict penalties for dodgy landlords
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A massive expansion of rent-stabilised housing
But it’s not just talk. His critics, including Cuomo, say the numbers don’t add up – that managing a $115 billion city requires more than passion. Still, many voters are trading caution for courage.
“He understands us. He belongs to us,” said Lokmani Rai, a supporter from the immigrant-heavy borough of Queens. “He’s from our community.”
Image 1: BBC
Islam, identity, and the threats behind the headlines
Mamdani hasn’t shied away from his faith. He’s made Islam a visible part of his campaign, but that’s also made him a target.
He’s faced daily Islamophobic threats, some directed at his family. New York police have launched a hate-crime investigation. But instead of stepping back, Mamdani has leaned in.
“To stand in public as a Muslim is also to sacrifice the safety we sometimes find in the shadows,” he said at a rally this spring.
Israel, Gaza, and the Democratic divide
If Mamdani’s housing agenda has made waves, his foreign policy stance has caused a storm.
He’s been one of the few elected officials in the US to openly call Israel an apartheid state, accuse it of genocide in Gaza, and demand the arrest of Prime Minister Netanyahu for human rights violations.
While he says Israel has a right to exist, he adds that no state should be built on religious hierarchy.
In a city with a large Jewish population, the stance has been controversial – but for many younger progressives, it’s a stand they’ve long waited for.
Cuomo has attacked him on this issue, calling himself a “hyper-supporter of Israel.” But for Mamdani, it’s another example of what he calls “the old politics failing the new world.”
A movement, not just a man
More than anything, Zohran Mamdani’s campaign is a movement. It’s powered by volunteers, first-time voters, and people who’ve never felt seen in politics.
Political strategist Trip Yang put it simply: “Whether he wins or loses, this campaign has done the unthinkable.”
With New York’s ranked-choice voting system still at play, the final result may take time – but one thing is clear: the city’s political centre is shifting, and Mamdani is leading the way.
Also read: Three Killed in Vigilante-Style Attack in Samora Machel Informal Settlement
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Featured Image: BBC
