Zohran Mamdani and the Story of Indians in Uganda 

As New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani continues to make waves for his unapologetically progressive policies and democratic socialist vision, one recurring topic in public discourse is his cultural identity. Mamdani has made history as the first Muslim and South Asian to be elected as mayor of New York City. However, there is one aspect of his background that often remains underrepresented in media, his connection to the African continent

Despite being of Indian descent, Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda to a Gujrati-Punjabi Indian family. His story is part of a broader, often overlooked, historical experience of Indians in Africa. While it may seem unusual to some, the presence of Indians in African countries is far from rare. Several million people of Indian origin reside across Africa, with the vast majority living in southeastern countries such as South Africa, Mauritius and Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. 

As of 2025, Uganda is home to approximately 50,000 people of Indian origin, but at one point this number was significantly higher. At one point in the mid-20th century the Indian Community in the condo was nearly three times its current size.

Africa has seen several waves of immigration from the Indian subcontinent, for Uganda the largest portion of this was seen during the British Empire under which both Uganda and India were ruled by the British. During this time, tens of thousands of Indians were brought to East Africa,  often as indentured laborers or low wage workers brought in to develop railroads and other new infrastructure in the region. Indians later became involved in trade in business across Uganda, contributing greatly to the Ugandan economy. Over time, the Indian-Ugandan community became well established and played a central role in the country’s cultural and economic life.

This relative period of stability ended in 1972. 10 years after Uganda gained independence from the British Empire, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin ordered that all South Asians were to be expelled from the country, giving them only 90 days to leave. This policy led to the forced removal of tens of thousands of Indians in Uganda. Many Indian families in Uganda became refugees and relocated to the United Kingdom and Canada. During this time, Mamdani’s father himself was expelled and became a refugee in the United Kingdom.

There are several other famous figures who can trace their heritage back to Indian-Ugandan refugees in the UK and Canada. British actress Naomi Scott, best known for playing Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin, Canadian actor Avan Jogia best known for his role in the Nickelodeon series Victorious, and British pop singer Charli XCX are all of partial Indian-Ugandan descent from families forced to relocate to the United Kingdom and Canada during political unrest. 

Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, a prominent Indian-American filmmaker, also told the story of Indian-Ugandans in her 1991 film, Mississippi Masala. The film follows the story of a young Indian-Ugandan girl whose family is expelled from Uganda and resettled in Mississippi where she falls in love with an African-American blue-collar worker. The film stars Sarita Choudhury and Denzel Washington And received numerous awards and accolades.

Following the fall of Idi Amin’s Regime, Uganda slowly stabilized. Racial and economic divisions continued to exist but it became safer for Indians and many chose to return home. In 1986, Mamdani’s father returned to his home of Kampala where 5 years later, Zohran Mamdani was born. 

Mamdani’s middle name, Kwame, was given to him by his father as a tribute to Kwame Nkrumah, the former president of Ghana and a leading intellectual and figure for the Pan-African movement. Nkrumah’s ideas of decolonization and community amongst African nations influenced many African leaders including Apollo Milton Obote went on to become Prime Minister of Uganda.

As a politician, Mamdani’s platform focuses on local structural issues such as housing, public transit and workers rights. His identity is shaped by the intersection of global cultures, diasporas, and the refugee story. Mamdani tells the story of south asian representation, but he also represents a unique group of people who balance multicultural identities. In a place as diverse as New York City Mamdani’s cultural upbringing mirrors the multicultural mosaic of the city.