Front-runner for mayor, Zoran Mamdani, was seen with a big smile in various photos alongside Ugandan officials who are known for their strict anti-LGBT stances, including advocating for life sentences for homosexual acts.
Mamdani had an encounter with Ugandan politician Rebecca Kadaga in July, which coincided with a joyful family celebration at a segregated compound in Uganda, following his victory in the Democratic primary.
“I’m delighted to meet New York City’s next mayor, Zohran Mamdani. I feel fortunate as this election progresses,” Kadaga noted in her post featuring a cheerful photo with Mamdani.
Upon returning to New York after Mamdani’s traditional wedding in Kampala, there was another curious post featuring him and his father, Mahmoud Mamdani, who is a professor at Columbia.
The Mamdani campaign was put on the defensive when a photo from the meeting resurfaced. A spokesperson asserted that Mamdani was “unaware” of Kadaga’s notorious reputation for her anti-gay activism.
Back in 2012, Kadaga gained negative attention for suggesting stringent penalties against gay individuals as a “Christmas gift” for supporters of her agenda. “The Ugandans want that law as a Christmas gift. They asked for it. We will give them that gift,” she stated.
At that time, President Obama described the proposed legislation as “naughty.” Kadaga had previously served as the first deputy prime minister after a lengthy period as a powerful council president.
In 2024, the Ugandan government enacted laws that further criminalized LGBT activities, punishing consensual same-sex relations with life imprisonment and harsher penalties for repeat offenses.
A draft of the initial proposal even included the death penalty for certain offenses, but this was removed after backlash from the international community.
A similar anti-LGBT measure was introduced in 2013 while Kadaga was serving as a speaker, but it was later invalidated due to procedural issues in Congress.
Mamdani’s team expressed ignorance about Kadaga being a key figure in promoting Uganda’s harmful anti-LGBT legislation. A campaign spokesperson shared that Mamdani had taken the photo at Entebbe Airport without knowing her background.
“If he had known, he wouldn’t have agreed to it,” the spokesperson added, emphasizing that Mamdani’s commitment to human rights applies to everyone, and he has a comprehensive plan for protecting LGBTQ+ rights in New York.
In the two years following the anti-Homosexuality Act’s passage, widespread discrimination and violence against LGBT individuals in Uganda have been reported by civil rights organizations.
“Over the past two years, LGBT Ugandans have faced numerous abuses as a result of the government’s deliberate legislation against them,” remarked Oriem Neekko from Human Rights Watch.
Ugandan officials have perpetuated misinformation and incited hatred toward LGBT communities, leading to increased violence and harassment against individuals and rights advocates.
The timing of Mamdani’s meeting with Kadaga, a well-known political figure with a significant history in Uganda, seems to indicate strategic efforts to build support for his mayoral campaign.
For Uganda, Mamdani’s visit and family ties might symbolize a connection between East African heritage and Western political dynamics, ultimately influencing the diaspora’s involvement.
In the upcoming general election on November 4, Mamdani will face independent candidates including Republican Curtis Swawa and former governor Andrew Cuomo.
