In this age of social media, a single snapshot can change a person’s life forever. Such was the case for Linda Okello, who, in 2014, was caught on camera wearing a tight-hugging police skirt.
She was working as a traffic police officer at the time, and what seemed like a normal day on duty turned into a life-altering event.
On that fateful day, Okello, who was a corporal at the time, was busy coordinating Safari Rally operations. Out of nowhere, veteran motorsport journalist, Anwar Sidi, took a photo of her.
“I was talking to my boss. I did not even notice when that photo was taken,” she said.
Now, a photograph wouldn’t have been bad, but this photo happened to capture Linda in an angle that accentuated her body, especially the shortness and tightness of her skirt.
The photo instantly went viral on social media and was the subject of numerous memes and hashtags. Due to the backlash, Linda was summoned by her superiors over ‘inappropriate dressing’.
The next day, she was called to face disciplinary proceedings, where she was accused of being scantily dressed and not being in police uniform.
However, upon investigation, it was revealed that the skirt was indeed police standard issue, although she had outgrown it since it had been issued 7 years earlier.
The irony of the situation was that she had interacted with her superiors that morning before heading to work.
“They were actually the ones who assigned my spot for that day. There was no way they would not have noticed my attire. It was also not the first time that I had worn that skirt,” she said.
Her superiors accused her of being a socialite and using her body to attract media attention. Following the disciplinary proceedings, she was transferred to Molo.
“The way my boss handled me, it was so personal. She even gave out all my information to the media. She shared details of the specific duties I would perform. By the time I arrived in Molo, everyone was waiting to see this Linda,” she reminisced.
Naturally, it became challenging for her to perform her duties. Worse, she could not hope for promotion as her superiors referred to her as “Ule mtu wa media”. They feared she would expose their secrets to the news-hungry journalists.
Unable to bear it all, Linda decided to resign, having served for 16 years as a cop. She decided to seek greener pastures abroad.
“When you are given lemons, you make lemonade. I am now doing so well and I am happy about myself and my progress” she says.
She currently lives in the USA, where she is pursuing a Master’s in applied behavior.
Looking back, Linda reflects on how her life might have unfolded differently had it not been for that infamous photograph.
“I don’t think I would have gone out of the country. I think I would probably be an inspector by now.” Says the Kereri Girls’ alumnus.
In 2014, she sued Standard Media Group for improper use of her image. Through her lawyer, Tom Ojienda, she won the case and was awarded sh 6.5 million by the Nairobi High Court, a decision she heartily welcomed.
“That photo affected me mentally and emotionally. I was the most googled person at the time. After the court ruling, I felt that justice had been done. This will serve as a lesson to other media houses who use people’s images inappropriately,” said the 40-year-old.
After completing her masters in the US, she plans to return to Kenya to help care for children with autism.
