'I am not broke': Mary Biketi shuts down split rumours with Oparanya

For weeks, whispers have rippled across social media, claiming that Mary Biketi, the glamorous partner of Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, had been dumped and left high and dry.

The gossip, fuelled by anonymous submissions on blogger Edgar Obare's Instagram Q&A, painted a grim picture of a woman whose once-lavish lifestyle had allegedly come tumbling down.

According to the online chatter, Biketi and Oparanya supposedly ended their romance in mid-2024.

The whispers went further, alleging that the former Kakamega governor had cut off all ties with her, financially and otherwise.

Some claimed she had been forced to leave her plush Kileleshwa residence and relocate to Syokimau or Mlolongo, a supposed sign of dwindling fortunes.

The rumours spread like wildfire, with social media users weighing in, some gloating, others sympathising, and many questioning whether the once-envied union had crumbled.

But while the gossip spiralled, Biketi, never one to shy away from attention, came out swinging.

In a fiery statement, she rubbished the claims and called out those peddling lies about her.

"Someone remind those two that I still reside in a beautiful leafy estate. I honestly can't recall the last time I was in the areas they are talking about. While I am busy on real projects in Trans Nzoia, they choose to focus on gossip and misinformation. It is unfortunate, do better," she wrote.

Her response did little to silence speculation. If anything, it fanned the flames, with her critics insisting that her rebuttal was more defensive than convincing.

Yet for her supporters, the statement was proof of her resilience and unbothered attitude, qualities she has displayed since stepping into the limelight as Oparanya's youngest wife.

Biketi first captured national attention last year when photos of her with Oparanya leaked, confirming their relationship.

Bold, outspoken, and fashionable, she quickly embraced her new public persona. She openly admitted to monitoring her husband's phone and blocking "thirsty women" who dared to slide into his DMs.

"There are times I go through his phone and block whoever needs to be blocked. Kuna tudem tudem, jamani hawawezi kosa. I block, block, block. Wale wa nje wabaki nje," she said during a radio interview, leaving Kenyans both amused and shocked.

Public scrutiny

But now, the rumours of a breakup have thrust her into the eye of a different storm. Unlike the giddy declarations of love or playful jealousy she once displayed in interviews, this time, she has been forced to defend her image and credibility.

Still, if her recent activities in Trans Nzoia are anything to go by, Biketi is not retreating from the spotlight. In April, she arrived in the county in a majestic convoy, standing tall through the sunroof of a sleek 4x4 SUV, escorted by boda boda riders.

Though billed as a philanthropic visit under the Mary Biketi Foundation, the spectacle had all the trappings of a political rally. Whispers of her harbouring political ambitions, possibly eyeing the Woman Representative seat, began circulating almost immediately.

It's against this backdrop that the "dumping" rumours hit the internet. To some, the timing was suspect-her growing influence and daring moves perhaps too much for her detractors to stomach.

To others, the allegations were just another chapter in the soap opera of being linked to a high-profile politician with multiple wives.

For her part, Biketi appears unfazed, reminding critics she is financially stable and focused on real projects.

Born and raised in Trans Nzoia as the eldest of five siblings, she insists her drive and ambition existed long before she crossed paths with Oparanya.
Her journey, from a modest upbringing through Nzoia Girls High School to building a name in Nairobi, is proof, she says, that she's not defined by gossip.

Biketi has mastered the art of keeping people talking, whether through bold pronouncements about blocking rivals, dramatic convoys, or no-nonsense clapbacks to rumourmongers.