Mohamed Abduba Dida, a former presidential candidate in Kenya’s 2013 and 2017 elections, is currently serving a prison sentence at the Big Muddy River Correctional Center in Illinois. Dida, who was convicted of stalking and violating a restraining order, began his sentence on November 18, 2022. He is slated for parole in April 2025 and his full discharge is projected for April 2029.
While incarcerated, Dida has taken legal action against the prison, alleging violations of his religious rights. In a civil rights lawsuit filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Dida claims that his ability to practice Islam has been significantly impeded by prison officials. Specifically, he accuses Warden Kimberly Hvarre and Chaplain Jeffrey Fernberg of obstructing his religious practices.
Dida’s lawsuit outlines several grievances, including the prison’s alleged failure to accommodate his requests for daily prayers, inadequate space for prayer, and insufficient provisions during Ramadan. According to the complaint, Dida has faced challenges such as being unable to perform the five daily prayers, denied showers before Friday prayers, and experiencing limitations on special Ramadan observances.
In addition to these issues, Dida alleges that he was removed from religious teaching roles within the prison, further restricting his ability to practice his faith. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, aiming to secure court-ordered changes to the prison’s religious accommodation policies rather than financial compensation.
The case has been allowed to proceed by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, with Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison permitting Dida’s claims for injunctive relief to move forward. This could potentially lead to significant alterations in how the prison addresses religious accommodations for inmates.
Dida’s legal challenge highlights ongoing issues regarding the protection of religious freedoms within the U.S. prison system and could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future.