Controversy Surrounds Zoran Mamdani’s Photo with Ugandan Politician

Zoran Mamdani, a leading candidate for mayor, stated he was unaware of the anti-gay Ugandan politician he was photographed with, but it turns out his father has had a long-standing connection with her.

Mamdani described the image with Uganda’s Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, as a spontaneous snapshot taken during an airport rideshare. This explanation came after criticism for posing with a figure known for backing some of the strictest anti-LGBT laws globally.

Interestingly, Mamdani’s father, Mahmoud Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University, was involved in a lawsuit tied to Kadaga when she was the speaker of Uganda’s parliament. This lawsuit, filed in 2019, was by several academics from Makerere University who alleged unfair dismissal, naming Mahmoud Mamdani among the defendants.

Former independent mayoral candidate Jim Walden highlighted this connection in a post on X, sharing reports from various Ugandan media outlets.

Furthermore, it’s suggested that Mahmoud and Kadaga’s ties go back to 2011, with some Ivy League scholars even commending her leadership in the oil industry debates during her time as an MP.

Both Mamdani and Kadaga were keynote speakers at a congressional symposium earlier in the year, reinforcing their professional engagements.

The controversial photo of Zoran, his father, and Kadaga has drawn sharp criticism from local polling firms and LGBTQ rights advocates. Mamdani claimed he was not aware of Kadaga’s role in implementing anti-gay policies when the photo was taken.

In a celebratory post, Kadaga expressed her happiness to be with Zoran and his father after Zoran returned from his wedding in Kampala, linking the photograph to recent personal celebrations.

Currently, Zoran Mamdani is taking a break from his campaign, having previously won the Democratic primary against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and other candidates. With Cuomo now running as an independent, he aims to replace the current mayor, Eric Adams, who is set to retire.

Dora Pekek, speaking for Mamdani, dodged inquiries about the relationship between Mahmoud and Kadaga, instead attributing Walden’s post to Cuomo’s campaign. “Mr. Zoran has voiced his outrage regarding the Ugandan government’s anti-LGBTQ policies and contrasts his policy platform with Cuomo’s,” Pekek noted.

She added, “This is just another sad and desperate distraction from a campaign that has lost its momentum.”

In a news conference, Cuomo criticized Mamdani, questioning the reasoning behind maintaining connections with Uganda, a nation that has criminalized the LGBTQ community.