Former Presidential Candidate Mohamed Dida Serving Time in U.S. Prison
PHOTO: Former Kenya presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida
Background of the Case
The Former Kenyan presidential hopeful Mohammed Abduba Dida serves a seven-year prison sentence at the Big Muddy Correctional Center in Illinois, United States. The sentence began on November 18, 2022, following his conviction for stalking and transmitting threats against an unnamed person. The 49-year-old former educator faced legal consequences for multiple criminal charges.
Conviction and Sentencing Details
The court found Dida guilty of two significant charges. The first charge, which involved stalking and making threats, led to a two-year prison term. The court imposed a five-year sentence for the second charge of aggravated stalking and breaching a restraining order. During the 2021 court proceedings, officials held Dida at McLean County Jail in Illinois, where he committed the offenses.
Recent Developments and Allegations
Recently, Dida filed a case alleging violations of his constitutional rights during his imprisonment. He claims that while confined at East Moline Correctional Center, the prison barred him from accessing educational and other rehabilitative programs. According to court documents from July 8, 2024, Dida asserts that he has faced denial of educational opportunities since May 31, 2022.
Dida took the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) in June 2022 but did not pass. Consequently, officials did not permit him to take the General Educational Development (GED) exam. They placed him on a waiting list to retake the TABE test but delayed the process. He also faced delays in accessing Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes, despite the expiration of the waiting period.
Employment and Medical Concerns
In February 2023, Dida discovered he could not retake the exam and remained on the waiting list until 2027, based on his expected release date from prison. He also reported denial of employment opportunities and access to various programs. Additionally, he experienced deteriorating health conditions. Dida reported symptoms such as numbness on one side of his body, swelling in his feet and toes, and spinal pain.
By February 2024, medical staff diagnosed Dida with pernicious anemia due to a Vitamin B-12 deficiency and prescribed a seven-month B-12 pill regimen. He argues that the prison provided inadequate medical care, worsening his health issues.
Legal Proceedings and Outcome
On May 29, 2024, Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison ordered an investigation into Dida’s allegations. This investigation will determine if prison officials, including Warden Kimberly Hvarre and a health administrator, bear responsibility if found guilty of any offenses. However, the court dismissed Dida’s claims, citing insufficient constitutional grounds for his inability to access educational or vocational programs.
The court’s ruling concluded that Dida’s case lacked merit for relief and designated the dismissal as one of Dida’s three “strikes” under the legal system’s guidelines. Dida will exit prison on April 3, 2029.
