Zohran Mamdani, the Ugandan immigrant who triumphed last month in the Democratic primary to become the new mayor of New York, celebrated a lavish wedding in his native country
Far from romanticizing the glamorous life of the candidate and his wife, his neighbors paid little attention to him and even expressed their displeasure with the couple, calling them "insensitive".
The Mamdani's held their event while the neighborhood was mourning the death of George Kanyeihamba, a former Supreme Court judge of Uganda who passed away days earlier and whose funeral was attended by state figures such as Yoweri Museveni, the current president of the country.
"By the culture here, it was insensitive to have a wedding celebration the same week of mourning – or 'Okukungubaga,' as it is called here", a resident commented.
"The neighborhood children have been seeing Mamdani on television and everyone was talking about him, but not about the wedding. For us, it's just about surviving. We're just trying to earn our bread and take care of our families", another commented.
El candidato a alcalde en un acto político.
An openly socialist candidate
The young politician's parents, who describe themselves as "critics of Israel", are the owners of the mansion and reside there when they're not spending time at their other properties in New York and New Delhi.
Originally from Kampala, Mamdani moved to New York at age 7 and became a U.S. citizen in 2018. He announced his marriage to Duwaji earlier this year after meeting her through a dating app.
Although he was not born in the United States and only recently obtained his citizenship, New York laws allow Mamdani to run as a candidate. His campaign has strongly resonated with the young Democratic base, which hopes to make him in November the first openly communist mayor in the Big Apple.
While he preaches a message that exalts social justice and the redistribution of wealth, Zohran Mamdani, the current Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, lives a life full of luxury.
The socialist recently celebrated his wedding with artist Rama Duwajiuna at his family's estate in Uganda, an event that featured a lavish party lasting up to three days, guarded by security guards and incorporating a system to block mobile phone signals.
The Mamdani family is one of the wealthiest in the African country. His mother is a wealthy filmmaker and his father a university professor, owners of an estate on Buziga Hill.
Mamdani junto con su esposa.
The details
Last Sunday, Mamdani informed his followers that he would step away from the campaign for a few days to celebrate his wedding in his home country.
Thus, the doors of the luxurious family estate located on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital were opened to hundreds of guests, who first had to go through an extensive security screening.
Buziga Hill is home to the wealthiest people in Uganda, including billionaire Godfrey Kirumira, a magnate with investments in real estate, tourism, oil, and infrastructure. The houses neighboring the Mamdani's easily exceed one million dollars.
All this luxury, it is worth noting, in a country like Uganda, where a significant portion of the population still lives in absolute poverty. 41% of its population, to be precise, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Institute.
La finca de los Mamdani vista desde lejos.
Do as I say, not as I do
The neighbors of the Mamdani have been reporting activity at the residence since last Tuesday, when buses, several Mercedes, and a Range Rover 4 were seen entering the premises.
These sources confirmed that security was highly strict, to the extent that the property was isolated enough that some locals were not even aware of the wedding.
"In front of the Mamdani's house there were more than 20 guards from a special commando unit, some with masks, and a system was installed to block phone signals, all for Mamdani's private event," a witness confirmed to the New York Post.
