The victory of 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral election has brought a notable element not only to New York and the US, but also to nations around the world.
The event has been discussed at the tea stalls of New Delhi, the lecture halls of universities around the world and at other places everywhere. The fact that Zohran, the youngest mayor ever to take office in New York, is of Asian and African descent, and of mixed religious heritage, also means that the victory has been followed closely in South Asia as well as Uganda, from where his father hails, and where Zohran was born.
There are lessons to be learned from Zohran Mamdani's victory. First, there is the example of how he rose to his position in just over a year. The young candidate assembled a team of even younger volunteers, but also leveraged his skills as a musician and his ability to connect with people at all levels to his advantage. He also built his campaign on solid grounds by drawing on the unions behind the yellow cabs of New York as well as other trade unions and student unions.
His volunteers and Zohran himself visited houses everywhere, speaking of the vision he held for the city, essentially promising to make it a less expensive place to live by taxing the billionaires, who make up only a tiny percentage of the population but hold the largest body of wealth. Zohran also spoke with the homeless and the hungry, openly identifying himself as a socialist democrat, somewhat in the mould of some older leaders in Scandinavia.
From here, Pakistani leaders need to learn. In the first place, campaigns cannot be built simply by raising slogans or making promises that people know will not be fulfilled. There must be a basic foundation behind them. In Zohran's case, this consisted of the unions and other groups that have been given little room to grow in the present-day US. He also banked on the youth, and found favour among Jews, Hispanics – including illegal immigrants who could not vote – and, of course, South Asians and Africans, as well as women and other groups.
Building a campaign is then essential. Of course, Zohran may struggle to keep the promises he has made, especially in the current hostile environment of the US. However, his promises are backed by a strong following and a well-defined campaign agenda. This is something we have not seen in Pakistan, indeed in South Asia, for a very long time.
The hope that comes with the unexpected and dramatic victory of Zohran Mamdani also gives rise to hope – that change can be made and will come if the right steps are taken. There are other leaders similar to Zohran in other parts of the world, most notably in Latin America. They also exist in Africa and other places. This should give Pakistanis hope that they should not be despondent or give up the idea that change can be made. It can be made and it can be made surprisingly quickly. At the beginning of 2024, the current mayor-elect of New York was simply a man who stood at street corners alone to try and bring in supporters who would listen to what he had to say.
Pakistan needs to see this as an example. We have many leaders, including those from the left, who have struggled to build parties. Sadly, they have failed almost completely. The need to turn to established bodies of support for the left, such as labour unions, should be incorporated into their overall strategy. Other steps need to be followed. The support from the youth is one example and is especially important in a country like Pakistan, which has a very large population of persons under 30 years of age. The message then is to motivate young people and that they can play a part in being part of the change. We cannot really think of many leaders who have succeeded in implanting this notion among so many people in such a short period of time.
It is also clear from this example that established agendas are needed behind campaigns. Of course, these agendas may not be easy to fulfil and may not be easy to deliver on, but at least the candidates who are elected on these promises can try to deliver on what they have offered the people. We hope, of course, that Mamdani will do this and try to improve schooling, homelessness, unemployment, the cost of living, and bring the other changes he has promised.
It is, of course, true that pledges are not easy to keep. But at the very least, they should be created with thought and good strategy. Even such small elements of change can lift up people who have become despondent due to the lack of alteration in a static political dispensation that they have witnessed year after year, despite small efforts to bring about some difference in people's lives. We have seen the sun rise in the west. Let us hope it can also rise in the east and in places across the globe.
The writer is a freelance columnist and former newspaper editor. She can be reached at: kamilahyat@hotmail.com
