Kayode Damali, the independent candidate for Mayor of Lewisham, has expressed a strong desire to collaborate with all councillors if elected, signalling a break from what he calls decades of party‑driven politics in the borough. “I get on with the Labour councillors, I get on with the Green councillors,” he said. “Obviously, you’ve only got Labour and Green [currently in Lewisham], I don’t have an issue with any of them as an individual. I would love to work with them.”
Damali, a former contestant on BBC’s *The Apprentice* in 2018, is running on a platform of “new style of leadership” that puts residents before party allegiance. Born and raised in Lewisham, he describes himself as “not a politician” but “Lewisham”, adding that the area needs a “reset”. His campaign is notably driven by social media, particularly TikTok, where he has around 15,000 followers and has generated millions of views discussing local issues. The digital‑first approach has earned him the nickname “The TikTok Mayor”, and he plans to hold monthly Q&A sessions in a town marquee to keep the conversation going with residents.
Damali’s relationships with Labour and Green councillors are central to his pitch. He stresses that he gets on with individuals from both parties, even as the council chamber has been dominated by Labour in recent years — Labour won all 54 seats in the 2022 local elections. However, the Green Party is now seen as a strong contender in the upcoming election, with the political landscape shifting. Damali’s first action if elected, he says, would be to “unite the council”. He believes that Lewisham has been run by the same political structures for decades and that many residents are unhappy with the status quo.
His own background gives insight into his motivation. Damali is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker and event host who is deeply involved in the community. He serves as a Run Director for Catford parkrun and Forster Memorial Park Junior parkrun, and founded Lewisham iCONS, a platform that celebrates local role models and creates opportunities for young people. He has spoken openly about personal experiences that drove him to stand, including losing a friend to knife crime at the age of 17 and witnessing violence in his community growing up.
Lewisham is one of only five London boroughs with a directly elected mayor. The current mayor, Brenda Dacres, is not standing for re‑election after being nominated to the House of Lords, while the previous mayor, Damien Egan, resigned to run for Parliament. The mayoral election on 7 May 2026 will feature eight candidates in total. Alongside Damali, the candidates are: Jay Coward (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Amanda De Ryk (Labour and Co‑operative Party), Josh Matthews (Liberal Democrats), Roger Mighton (Independent), Peter Newman (Reform UK), Liam Shrivastava (Green Party) and Sylbourne Sydial (Conservative Party). Key issues in the borough include housing, youth services, anti‑social behaviour, the state of high streets, and the Israel‑Palestine conflict, which has emerged as a significant local concern.
Damali’s commitment to his home borough is unequivocal: “If I don’t win this election, I have no desire to run somewhere else. For me, it’s Lewisham or nothing.”
