Zohran Mamdani formally took charge as New York City’s mayor just after midnight on Thursday, marking the occasion with an unconventional oath ceremony at a long shuttered subway station in Manhattan.
The 34 year old Democrat made history as the first Muslim mayor of America’s largest city, placing his hand on the Quran as he was sworn in at the old City Hall subway station one of New York’s earliest underground stops, known for its ornate arches and historic significance. The oath was administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a close political ally, with Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, holding the Quran.
Calling the moment deeply meaningful, Mamdani said it was “the honour and privilege of a lifetime.” In his first remarks as mayor, he described the location as a symbol of the city’s reliance on public transit and its role in shaping New York’s vitality and identity.
During the brief ceremony, Mamdani also announced Mike Flynn as the city’s new Department of Transportation commissioner before thanking those present and leaving the station.
As per NDTV reports, Mamdani is scheduled to take the oath again during a larger public ceremony at City Hall, to be administered by US Senator Bernie Sanders, whom the mayor has often cited as a political inspiration. The event will be followed by a public block party along Broadway’s famed “Canyon of Heroes,” traditionally known for its ticker-tape parades.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991 to filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, the new mayor is also New York’s first leader of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. His family moved to the city when he was seven, and he later became a US citizen in 2018. Mamdani entered politics after working on Democratic campaigns, winning a State Assembly seat in Queens in 2020.
His mayoral campaign centred on affordability and easing the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His proposals include free childcare, fare-free buses, a rent freeze affecting nearly one million households and a pilot programme for city-run grocery stores.
In the coming days, Mamdani and Duwaji will move from their one-bedroom, rent-stabilised apartment to the official mayoral residence in Manhattan, as he steps into one of the most demanding roles in American politics.
Mamdani takes office as New York continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with crime rates down, tourism rebounding and unemployment back to pre-pandemic levels. Still, high prices and rising rents remain pressing concerns. He will also have to navigate a tense political relationship with Republican President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to withhold federal funding from the city.
