Zohran Mamdani, the socialist who clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, drew criticism after he announced an extended trip to Uganda just months ahead of the general election.

In a video posted Sunday, Mamdani addressed his decision to travel overseas while on the campaign trail, delivering a tongue-in-cheek message to his critics. The 33-year-old state assemblyman said the trip was to celebrate his marriage with family and friends in Uganda, where he was born.