'Extraordinary' security, VIP glamour: Why Zohran Mamdani’s wedding in Uganda during mourning period is drawing ire

Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji marked their wedding with an opulent three-day celebration at his family’s luxurious estate in Uganda. (Image Source: Getty Images / New York Post)

New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani marked his wedding with an opulent three-day celebration at his family’s luxurious estate in Uganda, complete with military-style security, a phone-jamming system, and strict access control, The New York Post reported.

The event unfolded at the Mamdani family’s sprawling two-acre compound in Buziga Hill, an upscale neighbourhood on the outskirts of Kampala overlooking Lake Victoria. The area, home to some of Uganda’s wealthiest residents, including billionaire Godfrey Kirumira, features properties worth over $1 million.

Mamdani, 33, wed Syrian-born artist and animator Rama Duwaji, 27, earlier this year. The celebrations followed earlier ceremonies, including an engagement and wedding in Dubai in December and a civil ceremony in New York. The couple, who met on Hinge, now live in a rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria.

Guests arrived in buses, Mercedes-Benz cars, and a Range Rover, while the estate was illuminated with Christmas lights draped across tree canopies. Fruit juice stations and a local DJ added to the festivities. At one point, Mamdani addressed guests over a microphone as the party continued past midnight, the report said.

Security arrangements were described as extraordinary. “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.”

By Friday, military-style tents were dismantled and Mamdani’s private security resumed gate duty. “Flowers were also left in a pile on the ground near one of the security gates," the report noted.

Mamdani shared on Instagram that he was traveling to his homeland to celebrate with his parents -- renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani.

However, the timing of the grand event sparked criticism. The neighbourhood was in mourning following the July 14 death of former Ugandan Supreme Court Judge George Kanyeihamba, whose funeral is set for next week. President Yoweri Museveni visited the area to pay respects, briefly blocking the street with his motorcade.

“He has not even been buried, and we have his friends coming to give last words and to mourn before the burial next week, yet Mamdani is celebrating his wedding for three days," a resident told The New York Post. Another added, “Because of the culture here, it was insensitive to have a wedding celebration in the same week as mourning."

Despite the fanfare, the festivities remained largely out of public view. Mamdani is expected to stay in Uganda until the end of the month, The Post reported.