Mensah

Overview
Dr. Ayda Mensah appears directly in All Systems Red, Exit Strategy, and Network Effect. and is the viewpoint character in the short story Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory. Dr. Mensah is frequently mentioned in all the Murderbot stories except for Compulsory, which takes place before Murderbot meets her.

Dr. Mensah is the planetary leader of Preservation Alliance, a Freehold polity outside the Corporation Rim. The laws in the Preservation Alliance require elected officials to continue their normal work during their term of office, so Mensah is participating in the planetary survey that contracts Murderbot.

Dr. Mensah is highly capable, quick to make decisions, and incredibly calm in stressful situations.

Dr. Mensah lives on a farm outside the capital city, with two marital partners ( Farai and Tano ), her sister and brother and their three marital partners (including Thiago), and “a bunch of relatives and kids” (according to Ratthi in All Systems Red). Amena is her oldest child (who refers to Mensah as "second mom").

Physical Appearance
She had dark brown skin and lighter brown hair, cut very short, and I’m guessing she wasn’t young or she wouldn’t be in charge. (All Systems Red, Chapter 1)