Ugandans celebrate Zohran Mamdani’s historic New York Mayoral victory

Residents in Uganda expressed excitement and pride on Wednesday following the election of Ugandan-born Zohran Mamdani as the new mayor of New York City. Mamdani’s win on Tuesday marks a remarkable rise for the 34-year-old, who campaigned on a promise to reshape city governance, empower working-class communities, and push back against what he described as a hostile Trump administration.

For many Ugandans, the victory is both personal and symbolic.

Ugandan radio presenter Siima Kyakuhaire Sabiti recalled first meeting Mamdani long before his political career took off.

“I got to know Zohran when he was part of a really dope rap duo known as Young Cardamom and Hab. I was working at XFM at the time and we had heard about his music and we just thought he was a very interesting character so we had invited him onto the show… we ended up getting along really well because he is just a very funny, intelligent… sparky individual,” she said. “One of the things I really liked about him was how much he loved Uganda and was just passionate about doing good things for people. That was one of the things that kind of drew me to him.”

Actor and comedian Richard Tuwangye described Mamdani’s achievement as “inspirational,” but encouraged Ugandans to remain realistic in their expectations.

“For us to expect a lot from Zohran’s win is Ugandans not being able to manage their expectations,” he said, adding with humor: “About him being proud of being Ugandan, I would be surprised if anyone was not proud to be a Ugandan – this is the best country, naturally, in the world.”

Mamdani spent his early childhood in Uganda before leaving at age five, when his father, renowned political theorist Mahmood Mamdani, relocated to South Africa. The family later moved to the United States. Despite becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, Mamdani retained his Ugandan citizenship.

His mother is award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair, whose acclaimed body of work includes an Academy Award nomination. The Mamdani–Nair family still keeps a home in Kampala and remains closely tied to Uganda. They visited earlier this year to celebrate Mamdani’s marriage.

For many Ugandans, Mamdani’s milestone is more than a political win—it is a moment of pride, representation, and inspiration, demonstrating how Ugandan talent continues to shape the global stage.