Woman begs court to dissolve her marriage

A 42-YEAR-OLD woman of Kamwala South has pleaded with the Chawama Local Court to dissolve her marriage of 20 years saying she can not continue living with an irresponsible husband.
This was heard before Senior Court Magistrate Sera Nyendwa in a case in which Vivian Ndhlovu sued Collins Chipowe also of Kamwala South for divorce.

The two got married in 1994 and have five children aged 20, 18, 16, 13 and seven. He however did not pay dowry.
Ndhlovu told the court that her husband, Chipowe is not responsible.
“Chipowe does nothing to show that he is a man. I’m the one who has assumed the role of a man in the house as I provide for the family including paying school fees for our five children and the rentals,” she said.
Ndhlovu said she no longer loved Chipowe as he is a drunkard who is even violent.
“Worse still, my husband’s relatives do not love or care for me. I have never lived in peace with them since I got married to him and divorce is the only option,” she said.
But Chipowe said that problems in their marriage started when his wife, Ndhlovu gave him three conditions after she started working.
“She told me to stop drinking, start going to church and start working failure to which our marriage would be dissolved,” he said.
Chipowe said Ndhlovu is not submissive to him as she insults him and does not respect him because he is unemployed.
“She behaves like the man of the house,” he said.
Chipowe further told the court that Ndhlovu is in a love affair with a man named George whom she brags about.
He complained that Ndhlovu has denied him sex since January this year to date saying that she is fasting and praying.
Passing judgment, the court dismissed the claim of divorce because no dowry was paid.
“The relationship was just a boyfriend and girlfriend one despite having lived for 20 years together,” the court said.
Ndhlovu was however advised to sue for child maintenance.

Zambia Daily Mail