Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida, is serving a seven-year prison sentence in Illinois, USA.
The 49-year-old, who once campaigned to lead Kenya, has been behind bars since November 18, 2022. He was convicted of stalking, making threats, and violating a restraining order.
Dida’s troubles began in McLean County, Illinois, where he was accused of stalking an unidentified victim.
In 2021, he was found guilty of two charges.
The first was for stalking and transmitting threats, which earned him two years.
The second charge, aggravated stalking and violating a restraining order, added five more years to his sentence.
Abduba Dida Tough Prison Life
Since his imprisonment, Dida has raised several concerns. He claims he has been denied access to education programs since May 2022. He says he took the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) in June 2022 but did not pass. Without passing the test, he could not take the General Educational Development (GED) exam. He was placed on a waiting list to retake the TABE after 45 days. However, he was not allowed to retake it.
In February 2023, Dida says he was told he could not retake the exam until 2027, close to his release date. He also claims he has been denied a prison job and other programs. He argues this has violated his constitutional rights.
Dida says his health has also deteriorated. He reports numbness on the left side of his body, swelling of his feet, and spinal pain.
In February 2024, he was diagnosed with pernicious anemia, a Vitamin B-12 deficiency, and placed on a seven-month course of B-12 pills. He claims the prison has not provided adequate medical care.
In May 2024, a judge ordered an investigation into Dida’s claims. However, the court dismissed his case regarding access to education and vocational programs. The court said his claims lacked a constitutional basis. This dismissal counts as one of Dida’s three “strikes” under the Prison Litigation Reform Act.
Dida is expected to remain in prison until April 3, 2029. Until then, he continues to voice his grievances from behind bars.
By Vivian K.