Mahmood Mamdani on exile from Uganda, Idi Amin, and what Zohran’s rise says about politics within the US.
How do the legacies of empire proceed to form politics at the moment? In his new guide, Gradual Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State, Mahmood Mamdani examines how colonial rule formed Uganda’s political establishments and the leaders who emerged from them.
Mamdani additionally displays on political change nearer to house: His son, Zohran Mamdani, is poised to turn into the primary Muslim mayor of New York Metropolis – a victory he says reveals deep generational shifts in US politics.
This week on UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with famend scholar Mahmood Mamdani about colonial legacies, multipolarity, and what these shifts imply for international politics at the moment.
Revealed On 6 Dec 2025
