Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a 33-year-old politician born in Kampala, Uganda, has secured the Democratic Party nomination for New York City mayor. This is after he gained strong support from working-class people because of his plans to make life more affordable, provide free public transport, and fight government corruption.
On June 24, he led the first round of ranked-choice voting with roughly 44%, outpacing former Governor Andrew Cuomo at approximately 36%. Cuomo decided to concede. However, the final ranked‑choice tallies will be confirmed on July 1.
For months, Cuomo was seen as the favorite, with odds consistently above 70%, but recent weeks have seen Mamdani’s chances rise sharply, reflecting growing grassroots momentum.
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Mamdani was born in Kampala on October 18, 1991 to a prominent Ugandan-Indian family. His father, Professor Mahmood Mamdani, is a renowned political theorist and former director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR). His mother is Mira Nair, an internationally acclaimed film director, best known for her work on Queen of Katwe—a film inspired by a Ugandan chess prodigy.
Interestingly, Zohran’s early creative pursuits included rapping, and one of his soundtracks featured in Queen of Katwe. He grew up living between Uganda and the United States and today holds dual citizenship.
The Mamdani family has also been in the Ugandan spotlight for other reasons. In 2016, Professor Mamdani was involved in a widely publicized academic controversy with researcher Dr. Stella Nyanzi, which culminated in Nyanzi’s dramatic nude protest over disagreements about her role in MISR’s academic programmes. Professor Mamdani eventually retired in February 2022.
Mamdani’s Political Journey
Mamdani’s political journey began in 2015 as a volunteer for Ali Najmi’s city council campaign in New York. By 2017, he had joined the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and went on to work on various grassroots campaigns, including those of Palestinian-American pastor Khader El-Yateem and progressive journalist Ross Barkan. He also served as a field organizer for Tiffany Cabán’s high-profile 2019 run for Queens County District Attorney.
In October 2019, Mamdani launched his own campaign to represent New York’s 36th State Assembly District, covering parts of Astoria and Long Island City in Queens. Running on a platform of housing justice, criminal justice reform, and public ownership of utilities, Mamdani gained the endorsement of the DSA.
His upset victory in the June 2020 Democratic primary over four-term incumbent Aravella Simotas took nearly a month to confirm. He went on to win the general election unopposed—and was reelected without contest in both 2022 and 2024.
A Historic Run for New York City’s Top Office
Now that Zohran Kwame Mamdani has secured the nomination and is expected to win, he has made history as the first Ugandan-born American to receive a major party’s nomination for mayor of New York City.
