Zohran Mamdani’s Contradictions
A Call for Moral Clarity
As a committed Democrat, I approach elections with an instinct to support our party’s nominee. Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, offers a bold vision that in many ways resonates with many progressives, including myself.
His platform tackles systemic inequities head-on. His focus on the cost-of-living crisis is admirable. Yet, despite my alignment with parts of his agenda, I find myself troubled by Mamdani’s ties to Uganda- a nation with a brutal record of anti-LGBTQ+ policies. His ownership of property there and his recent wedding at a family estate in Uganda raise serious questions about his commitment to the values he champions.
Let me be clear: I’m not endorsing Mamdani’s opponents, whether Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa or Eric Adams. My concern lies with Mamdani’s personal choices, specifically his financial and cultural connections to Uganda, where laws permit the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.”
Born in Uganda, Mamdani owns four acres of land and a high-security compound where he celebrated his wedding in June. For a candidate who has spoken passionately about “queer liberation,” this feels like a jarring contradiction. How can someone advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in New York while maintaining ties to a country that criminalizes queer existence? It’s also ironic because Mamdani’s wedding was surrounded by armed guards, despite the fact that Mamdani has supported the “defund the police” movement back home in New York.
This isn’t about doubting Mamdani’s intentions. His policy plans for marginalized communities in New York are commendable. But good intentions don’t erase the dissonance of profiting from property in a nation that violates basic human rights. If Mamdani is serious about his principles, he should sell his Ugandan property, publicly reject further personal investment there, and commit to withholding tourism dollars until the country repeals its discriminatory laws.
As former Governor Cuomo said, silence can be a form of violence. Mamdani’s failure to act risks undermining his credibility as a progressive leader. As a Democrat, I want to back our nominee, but other aspects of Mamdani’s record give me pause. His association with the phrase “globalize the intifada” and long-standing support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel- dating back to his college years- contrast starkly with his apparent reluctance to apply similar scrutiny to his own ties to Uganda.
If he champions divestment in one context, why not in another where human rights abuses are undeniable? Leadership demands moral clarity, especially when advocating for vulnerable people. Mamdani’s platform offers much to admire- his focus on economic justice initiatives is bold and necessary. But his refusal to address his Ugandan connections risks alienating those of us who see hypocrisy as a betrayal of trust.
Divesting from Uganda and publicly disavowing its anti-LGBTQ+ policies would demonstrate that his commitment to justice extends beyond rhetoric. I want to believe in Zohran Mamdani. His vision for a more equitable New York aligns with many of my values. But until he reconciles his personal ties with his public stance- by cutting financial and cultural connections to a nation that persecutes the communities he claims to champion- I struggle to fully support him.
New York deserves a mayor whose actions match their words. Mamdani has the opportunity to prove he’s that leader by taking a stand. The choice is his.