NAIROBI, Kenya — Former presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida has resurfaced in the United States with a new identity and mission, months after securing his release from an Illinois correctional facility where he had been serving a sentence over stalking-related offences.
A video circulating widely on Sunday shows the former Alliance for Real Change leader—who once captured national attention with his sharp humour and moralistic politics—announcing his return to public life as a podcaster and spiritual mentor.
Now living in Minnesota, the 50-year-old says he is embarking on what he calls a “global spiritual outreach initiative” while working to revive a charity he registered in 2017.
In the video shared on his newly created social media platforms, Dida urges Kenyans to rise above political and ethnic divides and embrace what he describes as a higher calling.
“Dear Kenyans, I want to specifically take this opportunity to speak to you,” he said. “God has created us to be His representatives on this earth. We have a big, big responsibility. There are over eight billion human beings who need spiritual nourishment, who need advice, who need awakening.”
He continued: “I request you to rise above tribe and religion. Think of the world. Join me—I have a lot to share with you, and we have a lot to share with the world.”
Mwalimu Mohammed Abduba Dida has finally been released after completing a 3-year prison sentence in the U.S., where he was convicted of stalking and intimidating his American wife.#YNews
Dida, who is remembered for his 2013 and 2017 presidential bids, appears to have dramatically shifted his public persona following months of legal trouble in the United States.
According to court documents, he was convicted in July 2021 on charges including aggravated stalking, transmitting threats, and violating a restraining order taken out by his wife, an American citizen.
Family members previously stated that Dida unintentionally violated the restraining order by visiting a prayer centre near his estranged spouse’s residence, unaware that the action constituted an offence under U.S. law.
He was incarcerated at the Big Muddy Correctional Centre before being paroled in April 2025, three years into a seven-year sentence. He is now allowed to serve the remainder of his term outside prison until his official release date in April 2029.
In the months since his release, Dida has kept a low profile—until now.
His latest video suggests an attempt to rebuild his life through faith-based messaging and online engagement.
He revealed that he is currently seeking office space in Minnesota to restart his organisation’s operations and expand his spiritual outreach work.
Presidential aspirant, Mwalimu Abduba Dida resurfaces to the limelight from the United States, this time with Dida Global Network (DGN).
Dida’s reappearance has sparked mixed reactions among Kenyans, many of whom still recall his unconventional, witty approach to politics.
During his presidential campaigns, he distinguished himself as a sharp critic of corruption and governance failures, often delivering his messages with humour that endeared him to a section of the electorate.
After relocating to the U.S. in 2019 to pursue further studies, he married an American woman, but the union later became embroiled in controversy and ultimately contributed to the legal troubles that led to his imprisonment.
His return to public conversation has revived interest in his earlier political persona, even as he now repositions himself as a spiritual leader rather than a political one.
What remains to be seen is whether his new global outreach will gain traction—or whether Kenyans will continue to view him primarily through the lens of his tumultuous years in politics and the legal challenges that followed in the U.S.
