Cop ‘Bensouda’: City’s toughest policewoman

By Hudson Gumbihi

Nairobi, Kenya: Her mere presence instantly transforms loutish matatu crews into law-abiding road users. She is loathed by some and loved by others.

The mention of the name Jennifer Mutuku will not ring a bell, but ask any matatu driver or tout on Route 33 (City Centre/Embakasi) about a traffic police officer nicknamed Bensouda and you immediately inspire torrents of tales.

“Aaii, Bensouda is strict. When she arrests you, the next stop is the court. We don’t want he here (Route 33), she is not good,” said a driver, who only identified himself as Mose, as he picked passengers at the Caltex stage in Donholm.

Mose said the last time Bensouda cornered him along Outering Road dropping passengers at an undesignated bus stop he fled on foot leaving behind his matatu.

“It is cheaper to go and collect the impounded matatu later than wait to be fined heavily. Bensouda will always find you with many offences,” he stated.

But the officer named after the International Criminal Court prosecutor, Gambian Fatou Bensouda, because of her determination to bring traffic offenders to book, is not about to relent.

Instead of spending most of the time in her office like the senior policewoman she is, Chief Inspector Jennifer, the Embakasi Divisional Traffic Enforcement Officer (DTEO), is always out and about ensuring traffic flows and offenders are nabbed. And it is no mean task.

Many matatus operators interviewed by The Nairobian said it was impossible to bribe Jennifer, who was posted to Embakasi last December from Ruiru. Her imposing physique is another feature that leaves matatu operators trembling as soon as she steps down on the roads.

“She is always intimidating, maybe because she is huge. Bensouda has made life unbearable, we prefer dealing with officers who can take something small and allow us to do work instead of the long court processes,” said Karanja, a tout.

And last week, matatu operators plying the route downed tools in protest against the officer accused of constantly arresting them.

“I am strict and hard on them, I arrest and take them straight to court. Perhaps that is why they are calling me Bensouda. I was astonished when I heard the protesting operators chant the name Bensouda,” said a smiling Jennifer.

According to the Base Commander, by last week, 200 drivers and conductors arrested within her division were in the remand prison after failing to raise cash bail. Notorious offences include obstruction, overloading, lack of uniforms PSV licences and badges.

Operators feel the court fines are heavy, hence the reason for them wanting Jennifer replaced with a DTEO they can strike a compromise with.

“I am not renting because I am not a coward. In fact, after they went on strike, I received an anonymous call warning me to go slow,” she says.

The Chief Inspector usually conducts impromptu inspections between 5.30am to 9am. Her hectic spots are Mombasa and Outer Ring roads that experience gridlocks and lawlessness perfected by matatu operators. Usually there is semblance of order when Mutuku is on the road.

 But where matatus feel the pain, breakdowns seem to gain.

“Motorists fear her, I don’t know why they call her Bensouda but she is good because I am able to make some money from the impounded matatus,” said a breakdown operator.

But for Jennifer, it’s all in a day’d work.