Wife divorces 'stingy' husband

A 27-YEAR-OLD woman told a local court in Lusaka that she wanted to divorce her husband because he is irresponsible and that he does not show her his payslip. Emeldah Chanda, of Chilenje South Township, Lusaka, was making a statement in a case in which she sued Chrispine Mwimbi, 34, for divorce. The two got married in 2004 and have a child. They both work for the Zambia National Service (ZNS) where Mwimbi is a sergeant and Chanda is one rank lower as a corporal.

Chanda told the Chilenje local court that she has had no joy in her marriage as Mwimbi doesn’t buy food for the home and she does not know how much his salary is.
“When I say that there is no food, Mwimbi would go out for four days. He says that he has no money for milk for the baby and has never bought clothes for the baby,” Chanda said.

She also said that when she tells Mwimbi that there is no relish in the home, he would buy two eggs and eat them himself.

“I don’t know where he takes his money. Since I sued him, he beats me causing scars on my body,” Chanda said.

Asked by the court if she wanted to leave Mwimbi, Chanda said: “Yes. I have suffered enough. He doesn’t do anything for me.”

In response, Mwimbi told the court that Chanda’s decision had been influenced by her relatives who had been telling her to leave her matrimonial home whenever he and she differed.

“Chanda has packed and left home on several occasions for no reason. I have no problems with Chanda. Even today, we have come from the same bed,” Mwimbi said. He said he no longer bought clothes because Chanda had torn those he earlier had, and that she had broken most of their household property.

Passing judgment, senior court magistrate Kalunga Chansa said he couldn’t force marriage on Chanda, who had told the court that she had not had any joy in their marriage.

He granted the divorce without compensation, but Mwimbi is to maintain his child through a monthly payment of ZMK200,000 (US$40).