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Just before Mahmood Mamdani was expelled from Uganda in 1972, a professor from his university showed up at his door. With Mamdani’s family already gone—his parents to London, siblings to various spots—he was the last one left. When the professor rummaged through their belongings, he found a carton of Johnnie Walker whiskey, which Mamdani jokingly let him take. The next day, after reuniting with his family at a camp in London, he learned the bottles had been filled with cooking oil. This amusing tidbit distracted him from the harsh reality of being uprooted from his homeland.
Mamdani reflects in his book, Slow Poison, on how the expulsion affected his family. They felt like guests in every new home, never truly belonging. This search for identity and belonging has shaped his work for decades. Now a professor at Columbia University, he has gained attention not only for his scholarship but also for being the father of Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City.
Slow Poison not only revisits Uganda’s turbulent past but also compares the legacies of two defining leaders: Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni. It tackles enduring questions about political identity, belonging, and the often-troubling definitions of “Indigeneity.” Mamdani questions who gets to label themselves as Indigenous and how this distinction affects politics and citizenship.
While Amin is often remembered as a ruthless dictator, Mamdani points out that he initially enjoyed substantial support for uniting various ethnic groups in Uganda under a shared African identity, largely by expelling the South Asian community. Conversely, Museveni, who ascended to power in 1986, is criticized for fostering division and corruption while positioning himself as a U.S. ally.
Mamdani examines how this division among tribes under Museveni has fueled tensions and inequality. He argues that Amin’s racial nationalism temporarily unified Ugandans, while Museveni’s policies have systematically fragmented them. This fragmentation, Mamdani asserts, is the “slow poison” damaging Uganda’s political landscape.
What’s intriguing is how Mamdani’s views resonate today’s discussions about immigration and citizenship in the United States. He draws parallels between the expulsion of Ugandan Asians and contemporary debates about identity in America. The notion of whether one belongs based on lineage versus where they choose to live is a debate raging today.
Mamdani’s work is particularly relevant as we see various cultural movements emerge in the U.S. His son’s campaign highlights how identities can be embraced in political spaces without losing sight of universal rights. Observers note that this new wave of politics seeks to transcend rigid identity categories, inviting a broader, more inclusive understanding of community.
The challenge of blending cultural identity with a sense of belonging plays a crucial role in Mamdani’s scholarship. He reflects, “Not everyone with a common past will share a common future, but those with different pasts can come together to build a shared future.” This perspective urges us to rethink how we define community and citizenship in a world constantly reshaped by migration.
As Mamdani shares his insights, he emphasizes that recognizing cultural differences doesn’t mean denying political rights. Instead, it can create a richer community fabric. His reflections and experience remind us that the quest for belonging is universal and deeply personal, resonating in various contexts around the globe.
In today’s fast-changing political climate, understanding these dynamics offers a path to more inclusive communities—where everyone can feel at home, regardless of their past.
In Slow Poison, Mamdani’s story and analysis stand as a poignant exploration of the ties that bind us to our histories and the futures we seek to create together.
For more on Mamdani’s work, you can check out Harvard University Press.
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