Former Teacher and Kenyan Presidential Candidate Mohamed Abduba Dida Imprisoned in the U.S. for 7 Years

Former Teacher and Kenyan Presidential Candidate Mohamed Abduba Dida Imprisoned in the U.S. for 7 Years.

Mohammed Abduba Dida, a former Kenyan presidential candidate, is serving a seven-year jail sentence in Illinois, United States. He has been detained at the Big Muddy Correctional Centre since November 18, 2022, after being convicted of stalking and conveying threats to an undisclosed victim.

Dida, a former teacher aged 49, was found guilty on two counts. He received a two-year term for the first charge, which involved stalking and making threats. The second, more serious accusation of aggravated stalking and breaking a restraining order resulted in an additional five-year term.

Initial hearing and imprisonment

The court proceedings began in 2021, while Dida was detained in Mclean County, Illinois, where the crimes happened. During this period, the court imposed a combined term for his crimes.

Dida recently accused the prison system of violating his constitutional rights by refusing him access to educational and therapeutic programs. In court records submitted on July 8, 2024, he stated that he had been unable to enroll in any educational programs since May 31, 2022, while confined at East Moline Correctional Center.

In June 2022, he took the mandatory Adult Basic Education Test (TABE), but did not pass. As a result, he was prevented from taking the GED and was placed on a 45-day waiting list to retake the TABE. Despite this, Dida was not permitted to retake the test.

Prolonged Waiting Lists and Grievances

Dida was informed in February 2023 that his name remained on the waiting list for Adult Basic Education (ABE) lessons to enhance his reading and mathematical abilities. Despite filing many grievances, he was informed that he would be unable to retake the test or participate in any educational programs until 2027. This delay was due to the estimated date of his release from prison.

He further claimed that he had been denied opportunities for employment at the prison and barred from participating in all available programs.

Health Issues and Medical Negligence Claims

Dida also expressed concern about his worsening health while detained. According to court filings, he first noticed numbness on the left side of his body in January 2023, which progressed to swelling in his feet and toes, as well as back pain. Dida was diagnosed with pernicious anemia in February 2024, which is caused by a lack of vitamin B-12. He was then put on a seven-month dosage of B-12 tablets.

Dida claimed that the institution provided inadequate medical care, and that his health deteriorated as a result of the facility’s neglect.

Court Rules on Dida’s Complaints

On May 29, 2024, United States Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison responded to Dida’s legal filings by ordering an investigation into the convict’s charges. The investigation focused on suspected misbehavior by prison Warden Kimberly Hvarre and a health administrator.

However, the court dismissed Dida’s arguments about not having access to educational and vocational programs, noting that his complaints lacked a constitutional basis. The dismissal was also branded as one of Dida’s three “strikes” under the US judicial system, diminishing his standing in future cases.

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“This case is DISMISSED with prejudice for failure to state a constitutional claim upon which relief may be granted. The Court counts the dismissal of this action as one of Plaintiff’s three “strikes”,” reads court documents.

Summary of Court Decisions

Expected Release Date

Dida is expected to complete his sentence and be released from Big Muddy Correctional Centre on April 3, 2029.