{"id":5252,"date":"2025-10-06T15:49:43","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:49:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=5252"},"modified":"2025-10-06T15:49:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:49:44","slug":"zohran-mamdani-flashes-beaming-smile-in-pic-with-uganda-bigwig-who-pushed-law-to-put-gay-people-in-jail-for-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=5252","title":{"rendered":"Zohran Mamdani flashes beaming smile in pic with Uganda bigwig who pushed law to put gay people in jail for life"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani flashed a beaming smile in a cringeworthy photo with a top Ugandan official who pushed harsh anti-LGBT policies \u2014 that included life imprisonment for gay people.<\/p>\n<p>Mamdani met with Rebecca Kadaga in July during a break from the campaign trail \u2014 after winning the Democratic primary \u2014 that included a lavish celebration of his recent nuptials at a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/10\/04\/us-news\/cuomo-mamdani-a-hypocrite-for-owning-uganda-land-while-championing-abolition-of-private-property\/\">secluded Ugandan compound owned by his family.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was photographed posing with Ugandan politician Rebecca Kadaga \u2014 who has pushed for laws that would put gay people in prison for life. <span class=\"credit\">X\/@RebeccaKadagaUG<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cDelighted to meet with Zohran Mamdhani (sic), incoming Mayor of New York City. Good luck in the next phase of elections,\u201d Kadaga said in a caption of a photo of her with a grinning Mamdani.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere with Zohran Mamdhani and Prof Mamdhani as Zohran returns to New York after his traditional wedding in Kampala,\u201d she gushed in <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RebeccaKadagaUG\/status\/1950817114387828845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">another photo <\/a>of her, Mamdani and his father, Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>The Mamdani campaign was left scrambling Sunday as photos of the meeting re-emerged, as a spokesperson claimed the democratic socialist candidate was \u201cunaware\u201d of Kadaga\u2019s widely reported status as an anti-gay crusader.<\/p>\n<p>In 2012, then-Speaker Kadaga infamously said she was passing a draconian law imposing severe penalties against practicing homosexuals as a \u201cChristmas gift\u201d for supporters of the measure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUgandans want that law as a Christmas gift. They have asked for it and we\u2019ll give them that gift,\u201d Kadaga said then.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Lights seen at Mamdani\u2019s family compound in Kampala, Uganda on July 24, 2025. <span class=\"credit\">Katumba Badru\/New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The photo was taken during Mamdani\u2019s trip to his home country to celebrate his wedding in July. <span class=\"credit\">Katumba Badru\/New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2014\/02\/17\/obama-condemns-ugandas-anti-gay-law\/\">Then-President Barack Obama<\/a> called the legislation \u201codious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kadaha has been the first deputy prime minister since 2021, following a 10-year stint as the powerful parliament speaker.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, the Ugandan government <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2014\/02\/24\/ugandas-president-signs-anti-gay-bill\/\">passed a law that further criminalizes LGBT people<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A London protest against Uganda\u2019s anti-LGBT laws on March 11, 2024. <span class=\"credit\">In Pictures via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Anti-Homosexuality Act criminalized consensual same-sex conduct with penalties of up to life imprisonment, attempted homosexual acts with penalties of 14 years in prison for first time offenses.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>The initial draft called for the death penalty for those convicted of \u201caggravated homosexuality,\u201d which includes repeated same sex acts and intercourse with a person younger than 18, older than 75, or a person with a disability.<\/p>\n<p>But capital punishment was removed from the legislation following international criticism in favor of life imprisonment.<\/p>\n<p>The parliament passed a similar anti-LGBT law in 2013 when Kadaga was the speaker. It was struck down in court because the parliament lacked a quorum during the vote to pass it.<\/p>\n<p>Mamdani\u2019s camp said it didn\u2019t know Kadaga was the \u201carchitect\u201d of Uganda\u2019s vicious anti-LGBT law.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cZohran 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,\u201d said Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he was aware she was the architect of this horrific attack on queer Ugandans, he would not have done so,\u201d Pekec went on. \u201cZohran\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs Mayor, he will continue his record of action and values to make this a city where trans New Yorkers are cherished, our queer neighbors are celebrated, and each and every New Yorker can be the fullest version of themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who\u2019s running for mayor as an independent against Mamdani, blasted his rival for the awkward photo \u2014 and tore into him for the explanation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd as we\u2019ve learned, if he\u2019s smiling, he\u2019s lying,\u201d said Cuomo, who as governor approved the state\u2019s gay marriage law and other pro-LGBT legislation.<\/p>\n<p>He noted the photo was taken around the time of a mass shooting on Park Avenue in Manhattan that resulted in the death of an NYPD officer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMamdani now claims he didn\u2019t know who she was. That is laughable,\u201d Cuomo went on. \u201cKadaga\u2019s crusade against Uganda\u2019s LGBTQ community has been condemned around the world for well over a decade. Any serious public official, particularly one from Uganda, would know exactly who she is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cuomo asked how a self-proclaimed progressive candidate for New York City \u2014 the birthplace of the Stonewall gay civil rights movement \u2014\u00a0\u00a0found himself \u201csmiling beside one of the most notorious anti-LGBTQ figures on the planet?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And, he added, \u201chow does he maintain dual citizenship in a country that criminalizes people simply for who they love?\u201d<br \/><strong><br \/><\/strong>\u201cNew Yorkers deserve a mayor who stands on principle \u2013 not one who hides behind excuses. Zohran Mamdani has shown one quality time and again: duplicity,\u201d Cuomo said.<\/p>\n<p>Some gay activists\u00a0expressed\u00a0outrage that Mamdani warmly greeted a gay hater.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Lynn, a co-founder of the Stonewall Democratic Club, the city\u2019s first citywide LGBT club, wasn\u2019t buying Mamdani\u2019s explanation that he didn\u2019t know who Kadaga was.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s either a liar or incredibly ill-informed. Oh, come on! No one thinks he\u2019s that ill-informed,\u201d Lynn said.<\/p>\n<p>Other gay activists defended Mamdani, saying he\u2019s been a staunch advocate\u00a0of the LGBT community as a state Assembly member.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know Zohran. I take Zohran at his word,\u201d said Allen Roskoff, head of the citywide Jim Owles LIberal LGBT Democratic Club.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cZohran has been a friend to the LGBT community. Zohran has supported every pro-LGBT piece of legislation and has been one of our most articulate spokesmen in the state legislature,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Mamdani marching in New York City\u2019s Pride Parade on June 29, 2025. <span class=\"credit\">Stephen Yang<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ugandan authorities have perpetrated widespread discrimination and violence against LGBT residents and supporters in the two years since the Anti-Homosexuality Act was approved, the civil rights group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2024\/04\/04\/uganda-court-upholds-anti-homosexuality-act\">Human Rights Watch said<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2024\/04\/04\/uganda-court-upholds-anti-homosexuality-act\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in a scathing report <\/a>released in May.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor the last two years, LGBT Ugandans have suffered a range of abuses because of the government\u2019s willful decision to legislate hate against them,\u201d said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n                            Start your day with all you need to know                        <\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n                            Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.                       <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n                        Thanks for signing up!                  <\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ugandan officials have spread public misinformation and hatred against LGBT people, leading to an uptick in attacks and harassment against LGBT residents and rights groups, the report said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe timing of the meeting with Kadaga, a seasoned politician with a history of high-profile roles including Speaker of Parliament, suggests an effort to strengthen transatlantic ties or garner support ahead of Zohran\u2019s mayoral bid,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.watchdoguganda.com\/news\/20250731\/181781\/kadaga-meets-mamdani-family-wedding-in-elite-buziga-sparks-debate-on-zohrans-politics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the group watchdoguganda.com said.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor Uganda, Zohran\u2019s visits and family ties symbolize a bridge between East African heritage and Western politics, potentially influencing diaspora engagement. \u2026.As Zohran campaigns in New York, his Ugandan roots and elite connections may bolster his narrative of cultural richness\u2014or expose contradictions in his political ethos,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n<p>Mamdani is facing Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the general election on Nov. 4 after having beat Cuomo and several other candidates in a crowded ranked-choice Democratic Party primary in June.<\/p>\n<p>Current Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the primary then ran a campaign as an independent that he ended last month among dismal polling numbers and deflating donations.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/10\/05\/us-news\/zohran-mamdani-flashes-beaming-smile-in-pic-with-uganda-bigwig-who-pushed-law-to-put-gay-people-in-jail-for-life\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani flashed a beaming smile in a cringeworthy photo with a top Ugandan official who pushed harsh anti-LGBT policies \u2014 that included life imprisonment for gay people. Mamdani met with Rebecca Kadaga in July during a break from the campaign trail \u2014 after winning the Democratic primary \u2014 that included a lavish &#8230; <a title=\"Zohran Mamdani flashes beaming smile in pic with Uganda bigwig who pushed law to put gay people in jail for life\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=5252\" aria-label=\"Read more about Zohran Mamdani flashes beaming smile in pic with Uganda bigwig who pushed law to put gay people in jail for life\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Zohran-Mamdani-flashes-beaming-smile-in-pic-with-Uganda-bigwig.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5252"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5254,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5252\/revisions\/5254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}