New York Mayor-elect, Mamdani’s African Roots

Chido Nwangwu writes about Zohran Kwame Mandani, an American of Indian and African descent, who made history recently upon being elected first Muslim Mayor of New York city in the United States.

On November 4, 2025, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, made history with his election as New York City’s first Muslim. Also, he has become New York City’s first person of Indian descent/heritage to lead the iconic city popularly known as “the Big Apple.”

His middle name, Kwame, I do believe, was given as an affirmation of respect and honor to the Osagefo Kwame Nkrumah, former leader of Ghana!

Zohran Kwame Mamdani one and only child, who will grow to become a Mayor of the most influential, colorful, diverse city with every ethnicity, faith and calling drawn the vast, earthly beings, enlivened by the cultural rhythms and pageantry of heritages!

As the votes were counted on this historic November 4, Mamdani’s first position became evident as he defeated the former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, and several other candidates.

A few years ago, he was a little-known councilor in the State Assembly of New York. He moved to New York with his parents when he was seven years. He was born on October 18, 1991; that is, only 34 years ago in the city of Kampala, Uganda, in the African continent. 

“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to defeat a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”

The young, oratorically impressive politician added that: “This is not only how we stop Trump ‒ it’s how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up!”

Mamdani, the artful fellow, was goading Trump to keep attacking him…. It was already known to him that Trump had no viable capacity, at that point, to keep making abrupt, illogical, contumacious drivel and non-sequiturs!

Mamdani’s audiences, within the hall, around the world, on tv sets and handheld devices, took additional notice of the young, bright and sometimes controversial man.

As part of the issues from the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2024 and the consequent war in Gaza, USAfrica News Index (October 2, 2025 to November 5, 2025), show that Zohran has faced accusations of being “anti-Israel”, being an alleged “Hamas supporter” who is said to “engage in anti-Semitism.”

He dismisses those as reflective of his accusers’ Islamophobia and refusal to accept the rights of all people to exist.

Mayor-elect Mamdani’s economic proposals, such as a four-year rent freeze, have been attacked by some of the capitalist leaders of New York as “not good for New York.”

His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a distinguished Professor of politics, government, colonialism, post-colonial studies, genocide, and human rights in Africa. He is a highly-respected scholar at Columbia University in New York, and at Makerere University, in Uganda.

Prof. Mamdani is the author of several influential books, including ‘Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror’ and ‘When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism and Genocide in Rwanda.’ 

Zohran’s mother, Mira Nair, is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and mentor to many.

The physical range of American presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral leadership is increasingly getting closer to Africans in the diaspora.

Remember, there was Obama’s Kenya; and now, Mamdani’s Uganda!

Who’s next?

-DrNwangwu, is founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston.

Follow him on X @Chido247