Kenyan ex-presidential candidate Dida reinvents life after US prison release
By Kenneth Mwenda, November 23, 2025Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida has resurfaced with a new purpose months after his release from a United States prison.
The 50-year-old, who lives in Minnesota, is now using social media to promote a global spiritual initiative and revive a charity he established in 2017.
In a video circulating widely on social media on Sunday, November 23, 2025, Dida introduced his new venture, the Dida Global Network (DGN).
“This is your brother, your elder, your leader, presidential aspirant Mohamed Dida, hereby welcoming you to Dida Global Network, DGN,” he said:
“Humanity today is divided, divided based on many, many factors, whether it is race, whether it is biological difference, genetical difference, geographical difference, economic difference, there are many, many things, spiritual difference, humanity is divided. But the fact, the bottom fact, the naked truth is we are one nation.”
Dida added:
“We are one nation and one God. We are all the children of one man created of dust and one woman created of the man’s rib. Under any circumstance, we have to be united.”
“Dida Global Initiative welcomes you to join this movement so that we can unite, one family and one God, one nation and one God. Join me in this effort, join me in this endeavor, join me so that we can realise the purpose of the human being in this short life. Thank you very much. Welcome, stay tuned.”
Dida focuses on unity
The former politician now aims to expand his platform beyond Kenya, calling on citizens to look past political, tribal, and social divides. He seeks to use his new venture as a means of spiritual outreach and community building.
Dida’s transition comes months after his release from the Big Muddy Correctional Centre in Illinois, where he served part of a seven-year sentence. He was jailed in July 2021 after being found guilty of stalking, transmitting threats, aggravated stalking, and violating a restraining order obtained by his American wife.
Court records show that Dida visited a prayer centre near his estranged wife’s home without realising it was a legal offence in the United States.
He was paroled in April 2025 after serving three years, allowing him to complete the remainder of his sentence outside prison. During his political career, the Wajir-born candidate was known for his straightforward and humorous approach, earning him popularity despite limited success at the ballot box.
Dida previously contested Kenya’s presidency in 2013 and 2017 under the Alliance for Real Change party. In the 2013 election, he received 52,848 votes, representing 0.43 per cent of the total. Before entering politics, he taught English Literature.
Since moving to the US in 2019 to pursue further studies, Dida has faced legal and personal challenges. He married an American citizen, but the marriage became embroiled in controversy, culminating in the court case that led to his imprisonment.
Now, Dida is focused on philanthropy and rebuilding his life. He is searching for office space in Minnesota to restart the Dida Foundation International, a charity he registered in 2017 to support underprivileged communities. Family members say he is committed to fulfilling his responsibilities and contributing positively to society.