RABECCA BANDA writes
A LUSAKA cleaner has been divorced in the Chilenje Local Court for being lazy and failing to provide for his family and fine K8, 000.
Kennedy Tembo,39 of Kalingalinga Township was sued by his wife Agnes Hanyuula , 32, a cleaner also of the same area for divorce for being negligent.
Hanyuula said they got married in 2002 in the village in Luangwa district and have seven children together.
“In the same year we moved to Lusaka and disputes started. There was no peace in our home. My husband started mistreating me. He stopped supporting the family,” she said.
She said in 2017, Tembo stopped working and would stay at home and sold household goods that she bought.
“He used the money to buy alcohol. He doesn’t buy food or take the children to school. I chased him out of the house because I am tired of keeping him. I provide everything for the children,
“We have been on separation for four months. I want the marriage to end because he has failed to take care of me properly,” she said.
The two were appearing before senior local court magistrate Ackim Phiri sitting with senior local court magistrate Harriet Mbewe.
In his defence, Tembo said his wife did not care for him or washed his clothes by telling him that she could not wash for a dog like him.
“She is very dirty and rarely cleans our house. She refuses to shave my pubic hair saying that I am a dog. I have always ignored all these things because I love her,” he said.
Tembo further told the court that Hanyuula repeatedly threatened to kill him by adding doom to his food which made him stop eating food that she prepared.
“I don’t want our marriage to end because I still love my wife,” he said.
The court however granted the couple divorce and ordered Tembo m to compensate his former wife with K8, 000 with the first instalment of K1, 000 effective August.
