Dr. Shafick Osman outside the entrance gates of St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, Kampala -
21 September 2026. (c) Shafick Osman, 2026.
This afternoon, I returned to St. Francis Hospital Nsambya here in Kampala, a facility whose immense weight of history I am only now truly beginning to appreciate.
Long before I began working in Kampala, this ground had already carved out a unique place in global history. In October 1991, Zohran Kwame Mamdani—the current 112th Mayor of New York City—took his first breaths right here in this facility, born to filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani.
Decades later, in February 2026 shortly after arriving in Kampala for work, I visited this same hospital. I had the distinct privilege of a one-to-one meeting with Sr. Dr. Assumpta Nabawanuka, the dedicated Head of the Trauma and Emergency Department. Looking back at that meeting today with new eyes, I find it deeply inspiring to realize the historic footprint that was right beneath my feet.
Founded in 1903, St. Francis Hospital Nsambya is proudly recognized as a cornerstone of faith-based medicine, serving as a massive Regional Referral Hospital and the largest Catholic hospital in Kampala.
The institutional signage marking the gateway to a historic medical facility - 21 September 2026. (c) Shafick Osman, 2026.
The East African Diaspora and World Politics
Mayor Mamdani's birthplace highlights the profound global impact of the East African diaspora and immigrant excellence on the world stage. Much like Barack Obama’s Kenyan lineage and former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's close family ties to Kenya and Tanzania, his story underscores a powerful truth about East Africa's deep influence on world politics.
Living and working here since February 2026, it is truly phenomenal to see global history trace directly back to the local community where I am currently based.
Dr. Shafick Osman
(Kampala)
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