Councillor Faduma Mohamed has been inaugurated as the new Mayor of Ealing, becoming the borough’s first British Somali woman wearing a hijab to hold the role and pledging to “bring people together and highlight what unites us”.
The Labour councillor for Southall West took over from outgoing mayor Anthony Kelly during Ealing Council’s annual meeting on Tuesday (26 May 2026), after serving as Deputy Mayor over the past year.
Councillor Mohamed was first elected to Ealing Council in 2022.
She came to Southall aged 11 after fleeing war in Somalia and has spoken about arriving in Britain unable to speak English before being helped by teachers at Dormers Wells High School, including an English teacher who gave up lunch breaks to support her learning.
Speaking after her inauguration, she said becoming mayor was both “an amazing responsibility” and “a privilege”.
She said: “I want to make everyone proud and be an example to many communities especially girls and women who look like me. Representation matters.”
Unity will be the theme of her mayoral year, with Councillor Mohamed saying she wants to bring communities together across Ealing’s seven towns.
She said: “Whether I am attending an event at a church, visiting a temple or mosque, or meeting someone experiencing homelessness, every interaction matters.”
She will be supported during her mayoral year by her father, Ahmed Mohamed.
Councillor Mohamed has chosen Hope for Southall Street Homeless and Stepping Stones Together UK as her mayoral charities.
Hope for Southall Street Homeless supports people experiencing homelessness through outreach work, emergency help and a day centre, while Stepping Stones Together UK provides advice, support and wellbeing services for families and residents in the community.
The new Deputy Mayor is Labour councillor Ghulam Murtaza, who represents Norwood Green ward.
Peter Mason, Leader of Ealing Council, described Councillor Mohamed as a “dedicated and hardworking councillor” who would make both Southall and the wider borough proud during her year in office.
