Zohran Mamdani Sworn In As New York City Mayor, Takes Oath On Quran
The 34-year-old placed his hand on a Quran during the ceremony at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original stops, famed for its arched ceilings.
Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as mayor of New York City just after midnight on Thursday, taking the oath at a decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.
The 34-year-old placed his hand on a Quran during the ceremony at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original stops, famed for its arched ceilings. New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, administered the oath.
“This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said, reported AP.
A grander public swearing-in follows at City Hall at 1:00 p.m., led by US Senator Bernie Sanders, one of Mamdani’s political heroes. It precedes a block party on Broadway’s "Canyon of Heroes," site of ticker-tape parades.
Mamdani assumes one of America’s toughest political roles as the city’s most scrutinised leader. He is New York’s first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian descent, first born in Africa, and youngest in generations.
His democratic socialist campaign centred on "affordability," pledging free childcare, free buses, rent freezes for about 1 million households, and pilot city-run grocery stores to tackle living costs in the world’s priciest city.
However, Mamdani inherits challenges too: rubbish collection, snow clearance, rats, subway delays, and potholes.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, he moved to New York at age seven amid post-9/11 tensions for Muslims.
A US citizen since 2018, he won a Queens state Assembly seat in 2020 after working on Democratic campaigns.
Mamdani and wife Rama Duwaji will leave their rent-stabilised one-bedroom flat for the mayoral residence in Manhattan.
Mamdani has cold tensions with Republican President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut federal funds and deploy National Guard troops during the race. A surprise cordial White House meeting in November followed, with Trump pledging support, though policy clashes, especially on immigration persist.
Mamdani also faces Jewish community scepticism over his Israel criticisms. His transition team includes veterans, securing Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s continuity to reassure business leaders.
