Only 34 years old, Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim, has been elected Mayor of New York City — the first Muslim and immigrant to do so. It’s a remarkable leap, as he was granted U.S. citizenship only in 2018. He was born in Uganda; his mother is an Indian film director, and his father is a professor at Columbia University. His wife, Rama Duwaji, of Syrian background, is a successful artist herself.
Mamdani is also a state assemblyman and runs grocery stores. He defines himself as a Democratic Socialist. His slogan and charter helped him build a large vote bank. He presented only three promises to the public: free transit, freezing rent, and arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City. He argued that once he becomes mayor, he will command 30,000 policemen, have a staff of 300,000 people, and manage a budget of $120 billion. With this slogan, he was elected Mayor.
Now, the first question is how he will provide free transit in a capitalist country. America is a law-abiding nation, and not a single policeman would obey such illegal orders. A foreign prime minister enjoys diplomatic status — but this promise was enough to ignite enthusiasm among New York’s Muslims, who gave him enough votes to win.
He was born in Uganda, which strongly appealed to Black Muslims and even Christians. Many Black Christians voted for him sincerely. His father was from Punjab, and the festival of Diwali was the final spark that sealed his success. However, he should consider that New York is dominated by millionaires — will they allow him to use their money so freely?
He is not the only one: there are three more such figures in America — Dr. Fazal Al Karim of Maryland, Abdullah Hammoud of Dearborn, Michigan, and Amir Ghalab of Michigan — and many more in smaller American cities. His socialist slogan may create some turbulence in America, since it is a capitalist power and its economic mechanisms are rooted in capitalism.
Mamdani, being a state assemblyman, often lets his words run out of control — which leads many uneducated people to idolise him as their hero. He is particularly seen as a hero among Arab Muslims, especially Palestinians.
Let us see what he does for the Muslims of New York City and for his other voters. Zohran Mamdani’s victory should serve as a lesson for the big names of the Republican and Democratic parties, who take votes and money but, when approached by individuals for help, simply advise them to contact an attorney. Perhaps this time, the voters have told them to see an attorney — and have voted for Zohran Mamdani instead.
Keep on, a hero of the people.