RABECCA BANDA writes
A LUSAKA husband who took to womanizing, beer drinking and failed to take care of his family has been divorced in the Boma local court.
Namakando Sitali,43, of Woodlands Extension was sued for divorce by his wife Elasi Mwale,41, a businesswoman of Kabanana area.
Mwale told presiding local court magistrate Ng’andwe Mukuka that they got married in 2007 and have two children together.
“Disputes in our marriage began in 2010, when my husband had extra marital affairs with another woman, He also took to beer drinking and failed to pay rentals,” Mwale said.
“By then, we were in South Africa and we decided to return to Zambia hoping that my husband would change .My husband did not change and we separated for 2 years,” said Mwale.
Later the couple was reconciled and started living together again, but Mukuka started suspecting her of having an affair with another man.
“ I took him to the Legal Resource Foundation where he was ordered to maintain our children with K600 monthly of which he has not been consistent,
“We have been on separation for five years now and he has not been paying our children’s school fees. I want a divorce for the benefit of the children. I want to be free, we have stayed for too long on separation,” Mwale said.
But Sitali said problems in their marriage started before they got married after he paid dowry and they have been separation for seven years.
“My wife had travelled to South Africa on a business trip and lied to me about her location. I called her partner who I suspected to be a man, he also lied to me about where they were going to stay,” Sitali said.
“Whenever I go to her house to visit my children, she would insult and throw me out without seeing the children. She has been manipulating our children. If she loves the children, she should teach them to love me and not turn them against me,” Sitali said.
“I would have loved to stay with her in marriage but I can’t because of her emotional problems. Divorce must be granted, it is wrong for me to force her to stay with me, I have to let her go,” Sitali said.
The court granted divorced without compensation and ordered Sitali to maintain his children with K600 per month.
