Socialist Mamdani throws lavish 3-day wedding bash in Uganda with cellphone jammers and masked security
BUZIGA HILL, UGANDA: New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani celebrated his marriage this past week with an extravagant, three-day wedding party at his family’s luxurious estate in Uganda, drawing attention for its strict security measures, high-profile guest list, and timing amid local mourning.
The lavish celebration, complete with masked guards, cellphone jammers, and exclusive guest access, took place at Mamdani’s family compound in the wealthy Buziga Hill neighborhood near the Ugandan capital of Kampala.
The event coincided with mourning in the neighborhood for a former Supreme Court judge, sparking some criticism from locals.
Mamdani, 33, a Democratic Socialist who recently stunned political observers by winning New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, married illustrator Rama Duwaji, 27, earlier this year after meeting on Hinge. The couple currently lives in a rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria, Queens.
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Masked guards, cellphone jammers, and tight security at lavish wedding
The gated Mamdani family estate, spanning two acres with sweeping views of Lake Victoria, was transformed into a celebratory venue for the invite-only nuptials.
The property was guarded by over 20 members of Uganda’s elite Special Forces Command (SFC), with some in masks, according to The New York Post.
"Outside the Mamdani house were more than 20 special forces command unit guards, some in masks, and there was a phone-jamming system set up, and all for the strictly invite-only Mamdani event," a witness told the Post.
"One gate had around nine guards stationed at it," they added.
The SFC is responsible for high-level missions and protecting Uganda’s president and first family, underscoring the magnitude of security deployed at the event. As the wedding celebrations wound down, military personnel reportedly gave way to Mamdani’s personal security team.
Buses, Mercedes and music: A three-day bash in Buziga
Festivities kicked off earlier in the week, with buses, multiple Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and a Range Rover seen bringing guests to the venue. Music and dancing filled the estate, which was strung with string lights and pulsed with sound from a local DJ.
One source reported hearing Mamdani’s voice over a microphone during the celebration, and said the event ran past midnight on Thursday, July 24.
“Then on Friday, inside the compound, there were military style tents being taken down when the party had finished,” they shared. “Then what looked like Mamdani personal security guards took over at the gates. Flowers were also left in a pile on the ground near one of the security gates.”
Mamdani's prominent family and opulent roots
Zohran Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani, 78, is a well-known anti-Israel political theorist and professor at Columbia University. His mother, Mira Nair, 67, is a filmmaker best known for 'Monsoon Wedding' and 'The Namesake', among other acclaimed works. They share time between Uganda, New Delhi, and New York.
Notably, one of Nair's Instagram posts features a coconut tree she planted in Uganda the day Mamdani was born.
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The family’s estate is flanked by the homes of prominent figures, including billionaire tycoon Godfrey Kirumira. Reportedly, properties in the area regularly fetch more than $1 million.
Mamdani, who moved to New York from Kampala at age 7 and became a US citizen in 2018, has yet to be fully embraced by Democratic leadership. His mayoral primary win shocked the party establishment and sparked intense debate among moderates and progressives alike.
