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Mahmood Mamdani revisits the sting of his 1972 expulsion from Uganda and, in his book Slow Poison, reexamines Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni through memoir, history and political theory. He argues Western portrayals obscured Amin’s complexities and the roles of the UK and Israel, while Museveni’s rule fragments Ugandans through divisive notions of Indigeneity — the “slow poison” sapping the state. Mamdani presses for universal political rights based on shared futures, links ideas to his son Zohran’s New York City mayoral victory, criticizes Columbia University’s leadership, and says he will keep teaching while remaining wary of power’s temptations.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.