Ex-Kenyan presidential candidate Abduba Dida freed on parole after US stalking conviction
Under parole conditions, Dida is expected to remain under supervision and may be required to participate in community-based philanthropic activities as part of his reintegration.
Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mwalimu Abduba Dida has been released from a United States prison after serving part of a seven-year sentence for breaching a restraining order issued against him in 2021.
Dida, who contested Kenya’s presidency in 2013 and 2017, is now serving the remainder of his term on parole, supervised by US correctional authorities.
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According to US prison records, Dida was released from the Big Muddy Correctional Centre in Illinois on March 3, 2025.
He had been serving his sentence after being convicted of stalking and threatening his estranged American wife, known as Mama Leila.
Court documents show that the conviction stemmed from an incident in July 2021 when Dida visited a mosque located near his wife’s residence in Illinois.
The area had been designated as restricted under a restraining order she had obtained following a domestic dispute.
“He visited a nearby mosque to pray, and unfortunately, the mosque also happened to be around the area where he was not supposed to be because Mama Lila also frequently visited the mosque,” a relative said.
Dida’s family insists that the visit was purely for prayer and that the violation was unintentional.
Restricted zone
At the time of the incident, he did not realise the mosque fell within a restricted zone. His arrest and subsequent conviction followed shortly after.
The former teacher at Lenana School in Nairobi had moved to the United States in January 2019 for further studies. He later married Mama Leila, and the two lived together until their falling-out in mid-2021.
Following his conviction, Dida was initially held at the South Western Correctional Centre before being transferred to Big Muddy.
During his incarceration, he filed a legal complaint claiming violations of his constitutional rights, particularly those related to his religious freedom.
“Plaintiff claims that now at Big Muddy he has been approved as a volunteer imam, but he has only been allowed one Friday prayer. He has otherwise been denied prayers before and after sunrise and sunset, and he has been denied three additional prayers,” states a complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
His family back in Kenya has expressed hope that his release on parole will provide an opportunity to pursue further legal support.
Under parole conditions, Dida is expected to remain under supervision and may be required to participate in community-based philanthropic activities as part of his reintegration.
The full sentence was expected to end in April 2029, but his early release reflects compliance and good conduct during imprisonment.
His relatives have called on the Kenyan government to step in and support legal efforts to fully clear his name and possibly secure his return home.
Dida rose to national fame in Kenya during the 2013 and 2017 presidential elections, where he ran as a candidate known for his unorthodox campaign style and strong moral rhetoric.
Dida foundation
Confirming Dida’s release, his wife, Amina Liban, said he is now focused on reviving his philanthropic efforts.
“Yes, he was released on March 4, 2025, on parole. He is living in his house in Minnesota. He had started the Dida Foundation International and had completed registration just before he was arrested. The last time we spoke, he said he wants to revive the foundation. He is currently looking for an office to rent in Minnesota,” Amina said in an interview with the Daily Nation.
Dida, who contested the Kenyan presidency in 2013 and 2017, had planned the establishment of the Dida Foundation International, which aims to assist disadvantaged communities in the US and Africa.
His foundation, based in Minneapolis, was initially registered in 2022. It has a presence on Facebook, where it has called for financial support to aid in the civic and technical education of underprivileged individuals.
Before his arrest, Dida was known for his social outreach, particularly in Nairobi, where he would occasionally preach to homeless youth.
Amina said that Dida had been in constant contact with his family, including her and his two other wives in Nairobi, before his sudden arrest in 2022.
“Suddenly, we missed his calls. Mwalimu Dida is a family man; he has responsibilities, and he takes care of them very diligently. But in 2022, when we missed his calls for over 10 days, we got worried because he had earlier reported that things were not very good between him and his new wife,” Amina said.
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