DR. IVAN EDWARDS: A Country Within a Country: Uganda’s Hidden Elite and the Stark Divide in Access

When New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani returned to Uganda for a three-day wedding celebration in July 2025, many in the Western world expected a modest affair rooted in his socialist ideals.

After all, his declaration of assets here was dismal at best. Instead, they were stunned by the opulence: masked military guards, cellphone jammers, luxury vehicles, and a compound nestled in one of Kampala’s wealthiest enclaves—Buziga Hill.

This event, while personal, inadvertently cast a spotlight on a Uganda that many Ugandans themselves rarely see—a “country within a country,” where the ultra-wealthy live lives of extraordinary privilege, shielded from the daily struggles of the majority.

The Uganda of the Elite

Buziga Hill, where Mamdani’s family estate sits on two acres overlooking Lake Victoria, is home to some of Uganda’s billionaires. Properties here fetch over $1 million, and residents enjoy:

• Private security details and gated compounds
• International healthcare access, often flying to London, New York, or India
• Elite education, both locally and abroad
• Uninterrupted mobility, bypassing Kampala’s infamous traffic jams

During Mamdani’s wedding, over “20 Special Forces Command guards” were stationed at the gates, and a “phone-jamming system” ensured privacy. Guests arrived in “Mercedes-Benz cars and Range Rovers,”while locals watched from a distance, some unaware of the celebration entirely.

The Uganda of the Majority

Contrast this with the lived reality of millions:

• Makerere graduates driving boda bodas to survive
• Families staking land titles to afford basic healthcare
• Public hospitals plagued by drug shortages, long queues, and underfunding
• Police response delays, leaving citizens vulnerable

According to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, over 40% of healthcare spending is out-of-pocket, and only 27% of Ugandans use public hospitals due to poor conditions【source: Uganda Health Sector Performance Report, 2023】. Meanwhile, the elite have personal doctors and skip queues entirely.

Healthcare: The Most Striking Divide

I am a physician, and healthcare is close and dear to my heart. The most striking divide is in this area of healthcare. The disparity is staggering:

• The “haves” fly abroad for treatment, access private specialists, and avoid public systems altogether.
• The “have-nots” face catastrophic costs, often selling assets or going without care.

A 2022 study by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics found that:

• 54% of Ugandans seek care from private clinics despite high costs
• 1 in 4 households experiences financial hardship due to medical expenses

Conclusion: A Mirror to Uganda’s Inequality

Mamdani’s wedding, though personal, inadvertently became a mirror reflecting Uganda’s deep class divide. It revealed a nation where privilege can insulate one from the realities of poverty, and where elite enclaves operate almost as sovereign territories.

This is not unique to Uganda. It is in every country on earth, the U.S. and in Russia too—but the scale and visibility of the divide in Uganda are striking. It calls for a reckoning: not just with wealth, but with access, dignity, and the right to thrive.

📖 Bibliography

1. Uganda Ministry of Health. Health Sector Performance Report, 2023.
2. Bussey, Emma. “Inside socialist Zohran Mamdani’s posh wedding bash at secluded Uganda compound.” AOL News, July 26, 2025. Link
3. Singh, Taniya. “Socialist Mamdani throws lavish 3-day wedding bash in Uganda.” MEAWW, July 27, 2025. Link
4. Indian Express Staff. “Zohran Mamdani throws lavish 3-day wedding bash in Uganda.” Indian Express, July 27, 2025. Link
5. Uganda Bureau of Statistics. National Household Survey, 2022.

Words and opinions expressed in this article are my own and personal.