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Zohran Mamdani-Rebecca Kadaga row: Links with the ex-Ugandan Deputy PM explained
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani faced backlash at the final debate for his photo with Ugandan ex–Deputy PM Rebecca Kadaga, known for anti-LGBTQ+ views.
A photo of Zohran Mamdani with a Ugandan politician came back to haunt the Democrat Mayoral candidate for New York City at the final debate for the mayoral election on Wednesday night. Mamdani was questioned about his recent photograph with the Ugandan former Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga.
The photo, posted by Kadaga on her X account on October 5, sparked a row over her alleged views on homosexuality. Kadaga, along with being the Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, was also the speaker of the Ugandan Assembly. And, back in 2012, she brought on a law to impose strict penalties on homosexuals. While doing so, she referred to the law as a "Christmas gift" - sparking massive outrage.
“Ugandans want that law as a Christmas gift. They have asked for it and we’ll give them that gift,” she had said, per the New York Post.
The photo has since been deleted from the X account of Rebecca Kadaga. However, it was widely reshared by social media accounts. Here's the photo:
The photo was reportedly taken at the airport when Mamdani was returning from his wedding in Uganda. Another photo of the two, along with Mamdani's father, Mahmood Mamdani, also surfaced.
What Are Zohran Mamdani's Link To Rebecca Kadaga?
According to a report by the New York Post, Zohran Mamdani, who holds a dual Ugandan and American citizenship, has family ties with Uganda's former Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga. Kadaga reportedly knows the Mamdani through a 2019 lawsuit against Mahmood Mamdani, Ugandan by birth, which she oversaw.
According to the New York Post, which cited Ugandan news articles, the case concerns Mahmood Mamdani's time as a professor at Makerere University when he, along with several others at the University, was sued by a group of academics. The report further noted that Mahmood Mamdani knew Kadaga as far back as 2013 when he praised her debating skills at the Parliament.
Also read: Curtis Sliwa's online activity raises concerns during NYC mayoral debate with Zohran Mamdani
What Zohran Mamdani Has Said About The Photos
Mamdani's campaign was hit by the photo adversely, and they had to go on a damage-control mode immediately. Mamdani issued a statement saying that he was "not aware" of Kadaga's views.
“Zohran Mamdani ran into the First Deputy Minister while he was at Entebbe airport waiting to board his flight back to New York City. She asked to take a photo,” Dora Pekec, a campaign spokesperson said.
“If he was aware she was the architect of this horrific attack on queer Ugandans, he would not have done so. Zohran’s belief in universal human rights extends to all people, and he has put forward the most comprehensive plan of any candidate to protect LGBTQ+ New Yorkers.
