Why The 'K' in Zohran K. Mamdani's Name Is Important
A perspective you may not have heard
You may not have heard of Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a Ugandan-born American citizen, until recently, but he is the Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York City. For many, he was relatively unknown until he surprised the political establishment and beat Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary a few weeks ago.
Mamdani‘s father’s family, of Indian descent, migrated to Uganda during the early 20th century, a period when many South Asians, particularly from Gujarat, moved to East Africa under British Colonial rule. The British colonial administration encouraged Indian migration to East Africa to serve as a ‘buffer caste’ or intermediary class, working in roles like merchants, clerks, and professionals, which positioned them between European settlers and native Africans.
This migration pattern was common, with families like the Mamdanis moving to Uganda for economic opportunities, particularly in trade and small businesses, as seen with other prominent Indian families, such as the Madhvanis, who built commercial empires in Uganda. During the brutal regime of Idi Amin, a Ugandan president who deported many Indians during his tenure, Mamdani‘s family still kept their close ties with the country they called home.
In 1990, Mira Nair, an Indian-American and Mamdani’s mother, met his father while she was fundraising for her movie Mississippi Masala. It’s an exceptional film, and if you ever have a moment, please know that it’s worth watching.
Mamdani's parents named him Zohran, as you are all aware by now. However, their decision to give him the second name ‘Kwame,’ after Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972), reveals a great deal about their values and drive for social justice and should inform you about who Mamdani is.
Nkrumah was a Ghanaian politician, revolutionary, and theorist who led Ghana to independence from British colonial rule in 1957, becoming its first Prime Minister and later President. Considered a towering figure in African history, he served as a key advocate for Pan-Africanism, pushing for African unity and self-determination. Nkrumah studied in the United States and the United Kingdom, where he was influenced by Marxist and anti-colonial ideas, as well as figures like Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois.
As leader of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nkrumah mobilized mass support through grassroots campaigns, blending socialist and progressive policies. In 1966, he was overthrown in a military coup while abroad, likely backed by Western powers wary of his socialist leanings and ties to the Soviet Union. He spent his final years in exile in Guinea. Nkrumah is celebrated as a visionary who inspired African liberation movements. His writings, like *Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism (1965), remain influential in anti-colonial and Pan-African thought.
Like Kwame Nkrumah, Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a socialist and, to be more specific, a democratic socialist. This means he wants to make sure all New Yorkers can afford to live in their city. His plan, among other things, is to make childcare and transportation free and implement rent freezes so that unethical private equity firms, which are buying up all the real estate, cannot increase prices to push people out. He wants to create government-controlled grocery stores where prices are affordable, thereby allowing parents to feed their children.
Mamdani wants to do all this in a free and democratic state. He isn’t planning on installing an authoritarian, socialist, or communist state in New York City. That is a false narrative pushed by many, including Republicans, the two factions of MAGA, and some Democrats. If anyone is trying to set up an authoritarian police state at this very moment, it’s Donald Trump.
There’s still a while to go before the election for Mayor in New York City, but during that time, all types of opposition research will try to undermine Mamdani. Even members of his own political party, the Democrats, will seek ways to bring him down. They will tell you that he is too young, too inexperienced and that he doesn’t have what it takes to run one of the richest and most populated cities in America.
Like Obama at the time, Mamdani has a team of experts who will guide him as he implements policies to improve the lives of New Yorkers. His is not a toxic form of leadership like that of Eric Adams or Andrew Cuomo; his is about listening and helping ordinary people lead happy and dignified lives.
It’s time for change, and Mamdani has the courage and drive to bring it to an America where fascism is making inroads, voices are getting silenced, and few dare to say and do what is right. We should be supporting candidates like Mamdani throughout the country.
Thank you for reading my perspective.
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Thank you for this article. It gives me greater insight into a person I already liked. :)
Powerful and educational piece. You are such a brilliant writer. I’m sharing this with my New York based friends. Thank you!!!