Swaleh
Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mohamed Abduba Dida is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence at the Big Muddy Correctional Center in Illinois, United States. His conviction stems from charges of stalking and transmitting threats against an unidentified victim.
Dida, who is 49 years old, has been incarcerated since November 18, 2022. He was found guilty on two counts: the first involved stalking and transmitting threats, which resulted in a two-year sentence, while the second, related to aggravated stalking and violation of a restraining order, added another five years to his term.
During his 2021 trial, Dida was held in McLean County, Illinois, where the offenses occurred. Recently, Dida has challenged his incarceration conditions, alleging that his constitutional rights are being violated. In particular, he claims he has been denied access to educational and vocational programs.
According to court documents dated July 8, 2024, Dida has faced significant obstacles in pursuing educational opportunities. After failing the mandatory Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) in June 2022, he was placed on a waiting list to retake the test. Despite the lapse of the 45-day waiting period, he was unable to retake the test or access Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes at East Moline Correctional Center.
In February 2023, Dida reported that he was still on the waiting list and that he would not be able to retake the exam or participate in educational programs until 2027, due to the waitlist being tied to his projected release date.
Additionally, Dida claims he has been denied job opportunities and access to various programs. His health has also been a concern; he has reported deteriorating conditions including numbness on his left side, swelling of his feet and toes, spinal pain, and a Vitamin B-12 deficiency that led to a diagnosis of pernicious anemia in February 2024. Despite being prescribed a seven-month course of B-12 pills, Dida argues that he has received inadequate medical care.
On May 29, 2024, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison ordered an investigation into Dida’s claims, particularly concerning the actions of prison Warden Kimberly Hvarre and a health administrator. However, the court ultimately dismissed Dida’s claims due to insufficient constitutional grounds, marking the dismissal as one of Dida’s three “strikes.”
Dida is scheduled for release on April 3, 2029.
