Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Opatanya’s lover, Mary Biketi, has challenged law enforcement agencies in Trans Nzoia County to take firm action against all the perpetrators of defilement and other forms of gender based violence.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, when she met former women leaders, Biketi said gender based violence is a thing of the past and whoever is found culpable should be given severe punishment to act as deterrence to other people.
The soft-spoken philanthropist said she is ready to help all women and children whose rights have been violated to get justice. She revealed that her foundation (Mary Biketi Foundation) is willing to provide free legal services to all the victims of gender based violence.
“As a woman, I am concerned about the number of reported and unreported cases of gender based and domestic violence in our county. It pains me that we still have many women and children suffering in the hands of heartless men and that should come to an end,” Biketi stated.
Mary Biketi’s call to Trans Nzoia chiefs
She also appealed to chiefs and their assistants to deal with parents who collude with perpetrators of sexual violence to deny victims justice.
“It has also come to my attention that some parents deny their defiled children justice by accepting some money from the defilers. That is inhuman and such parents should also be given the worst of punishment in our laws,” she urged local administrators.
Child labour in Trans Nzoia
Biketi who gifted a wheel chair to a widows group further said that all large scale farmers who engage minors in child labour should be punished.
This follows revelations that 42 form four students at Kesse secondary school have not reported to school for second term because they are busy in farms as casual labourers.
“Our people should know that using a child in any form of casual labour is against the employment act as well as Children Act. So whoever is exploiting our children should face the full force of the law,” she added.
Biketi who is yet to declare the political seat she is eyeing in 2027 is a firm believer in social justice.
