TAKEAWAYS

• Born in Kampala: Zohran Mamdani said he proudly identifies as a son of Africa after spending his first five years in Uganda.
• Inspired by Kwame Nkrumah: His father named him after Ghana’s first president, instilling Pan-African values from an early age.
• Strong Ugandan ties: Mamdani says he returned to Uganda regularly, still has childhood friends there, and cherishes hearing Luganda spoken in New York City.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has spoken warmly about his deep connection to Uganda and Africa, saying his upbringing shaped his worldview and continues to influence his identity despite spending most of his life abroad.

Speaking in a recent interview, Mamdani described himself not simply as an American, but as “an American who was born in Africa.” He was born in Kampala, Uganda, where he lived until the age of five before his family relocated to Cape Town, South Africa.

The mayor revealed that his middle name, Kwame, was inspired by Kwame Nkrumah, the iconic Pan-African leader and Ghana’s first post-independence president. He said the name has always reminded him of the importance of African identity and unity.

“I’m so proud to be a son of Africa. I was born in Kampala, Uganda, and I have the middle name Kwame because my father named me after Kwame Nkrumah. I always grew up with a notion of what it meant to be not only Ugandan but also African.”

Mamdani added that growing up with African roots taught him that “home comes from so many different places,” a perspective he believes perfectly aligns with the diversity of New York City.

He shared a personal story about recently meeting a Ghanaian man in Harlem who gifted him a football bearing Kwame Nkrumah’s portrait and some of the late leader’s famous quotes—a keepsake that now sits proudly in his office.

Although he left Uganda at a young age, Mamdani said his ties to the country never faded. He explained that he returned almost every year during his childhood, allowing him to maintain friendships formed in his early years.

“I would try to go back once a year, and there are a number of friends that I grew up with. There have been times in New York City when someone comes up to me and starts speaking Luganda, and it just feels like this beautiful moment.”

The mayor admitted he is not fully fluent in Luganda but joked that he speaks “just enough to hustle”—a lighthearted remark that showed his enduring connection to his birthplace.