City welcomes a new mayor and new era

Hamtramck’s new mayor, Adam Alharbi, stressed the need for unity at his inaugural ceremony.

By Charles Sercombe
Newly-elected Mayor Adam Alharbi kick-started his term in office with a call for unity in the community.
“Hamtramck is a city unlike any other. Within these two square miles, we represent the entire world,” said Alharbi, on the evening of his inauguration. “But diversity is only strength if it is built on a foundation of unity. Today we turn the page.
“My goal is to lead a city where every person, regardless of the language you speak, the faith you practice, or how long you have lived here, feels not just welcome, but truly respected. We are one Hamtramck and it’s time we start acting like one community.”
At the inauguration, held on a recent Sunday at the Hamtramck Public Library, about 200 or more people – mostly males –packed inside to welcome the new mayor, as well as to witness the inauguration of councilmembers Abu Musa, Nayeem Choudhury and Yousef Saed.
Musa was re-elected to office, and Choudhury is returning to office after failing to get re-elected two years ago.
Saed is a political newcomer, and one of the few African-Americans ever to serve on council.
Alharbi received a rock star welcome, with a standing ovation and whistling. At one point in his speech, a person in the audience yelled out “We’re behind you!”
Alharbi said he will focus on rebuilding the city’s water and sewer lines, as well as the alleys – projects that have stayed on-going, thanks to multiple state and federal grants.
He also stressed that he will “beautify our neighborhoods, and polish the jewel of our region, Jos. Campau.”
Other talking points included:
• “Standing by our legendary businesses, while welcoming investors who believe in our future.”
• Address “high water bills.”
• Do something about residents who are “targeted” for code violations in order “to make your life easier, not harder.”
• Begin a new era of “transparency.”
• “We will meet you where you are, partnering with our community leaders, influencers who speak our many languages.”
• Striking down “barriers or lack of communication from city hall.”
• “We must protect the integrity of our elections. … I am committed to earning back the trust.”
• “You deserve leaders who know Hamtramck because they call it home.”
Also receiving a warm welcome was outgoing Mayor Amer Ghalib, who also spoke. He was introduced by Omar Thabet, Hamtramck’s City Administrator, who called him: “The greatest mayor of the City of Hamtramck.”
Ghalib, who did not seek re-election in the hopes of getting a job with President Trump’s administration, seemed glad to pass the torch to Alharbi, who Ghalib had endorsed.
“I feel so much relief that the responsibility is taken to another person now,” he said.
Ghalib assured Alharbi, in an apparent jab at the media scrutiny that he experienced, that “We are not going to sit there and count and hunt for your mistakes, like some people did, but we will be on your side and behind you.”
The former mayor also conceded that it is unlikely he will become the ambassador to Kuwait – a job that requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Ghalib’s hearing ran into a roadblock over past social media statements that some senators considered antisemitic.
“But I’ll take another important role in the (Trump) administration that will enable me to stay in touch with the community, and so I will continue to serve this community forever,” he said.
(As of press time on Thursday, there has been no announcement of Ghalib’s role in the Trump administration.)
One of the accomplishments that Ghalib has boasted about in his four years as mayor was seeing the city budget grow a surplus instead of yearly deficits.
“City hall is stable,” he said. “Don’t listen to the noise in the news. … We are far, far away from falling into an emergency management. This is the best situation in decades.”
City Councilmember Mohammed Hassan also spoke, and emphasized that “I’m a man of action – not corruption. … Today I want to tell the media we are not corrupted.”
It was a curious comment, to say the least, considering that he faces felony election fraud charges, and that there are ongoing election investigations into others.
Posted Jan. 16, 2026