Mayor-elect Mamandi’s father states he will stay away from his son’s administration.

Mamdani Plans to Distance from Son’s Upcoming Government

Mahmoud Mamdani, the father of Zoran Mamdani, has stated his intention to maintain distance from his son’s upcoming administration. In an interview published on Tuesday, the 79-year-old academic discussed his plans following Zoran’s significant win in the New York mayoral election, where he will be inaugurated on January 1.

Mahmoud remarked, “Initially, I think we’ll have a relationship similar to the one Mira and I had during the campaign: at arm’s length, yet always available.” He emphasized the importance of engaging in dialogue without overstepping into Zoran’s role.

In addition to discussing his son’s political journey, Mahmoud Mamdani, who is a government and anthropology professor at Columbia University, is also promoting his new book titled *Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State,* which revisits Uganda’s turbulent history under Idi Amin.

Expressing his thoughts on political power, he stated, “You shouldn’t just abandon power, but you also shouldn’t accept it outright. Power can be dangerous for intellectuals; I’ve witnessed how it can corrupt many of my peers.”

Mahmoud, who was born in India and raised in Uganda, faced deportation in 1972 when President Idi Amin targeted those of South Asian descent. Following this, he established his academic career in the U.S., teaching at numerous prestigious universities.

He has been married to filmmaker Mira Nair since 1991; they met during the filming of *Mississippi Masala* in Uganda. Zoran, born in the same year, later became a community organizer and legislator in New York representing Astoria, Queens.

The weeks leading up to Zoran’s mayoral campaign saw controversies arise regarding Mahmoud’s previous comments about American influence on global colonialism. A video clip featuring these remarks gained significant traction, with over 10 million views. In it, he suggested that the U.S. served as a model for various colonial projects, including Nazi Germany.

Mahmoud’s 2004 book, *Good Muslims, Bad Muslims: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror*, which is dedicated to his son and his friends, sparked further debate. It argues that acts of political violence, such as suicide bombings, should be viewed in context rather than condemned as mere barbarism.