‘Singer’ wife, absentee hubby divorce

DIANA NSOFWA writes

ENDLESS quarrels between a ‘singing’ Lusaka woman and her husband have led to divorce.

Collins Chimfwembe, 26, of George Township, sued his wife Janet Kalumba, 22, of the same area for divorce in the Matero Local Court.
The two were appearing before magistrate Pauline Newa.

Chimfwembe told the court that they got married in 2014 and have two children, but had been on separation for three weeks.

“Every time we argue she would sing a song saying pazaipa pazacepa and we would fight. Her mother had broken her leg and I used to take care of her and massage her leg, but when my mother came from the village Kalumba said my mother had brought lice,” Chimfwembe said.

“I went with her to our bedroom to ask why she had said such a thing and she came with a knife. She later wanted to stab herself. I called our neighbour who came to hold her,” he testified.

Chimfwembe said one time his sister visit the family and Kalumba accused her of being his lover.
When Kalumba’s relatives visited Kalumba did not see any problem with them.

“One time she got a cable and wanted to kill herself. She also asked me to be bringing a K50 every day. One day as I was trying to sell my honey so that I could make money for her she saw the phone customer and said she was my lover and started insulting us. She even told the woman’s husband,” Chimfwembe testified.

“Kalumba bought doom and wanted to give our child and drink it herself, too. We fight every day. That’s why I left her. I don’t want her anymore. We can kill each other.”
Kalumba told the court that they had never lived happily since they got married because Chimfwembe liked sleeping out.

“He would always say he had gone for an overnight [church service] or to the mountain. When his sister came to visit he would always wake up at night and go and sit where she was sleeping. He told my mother that he wanted us to go and be taught in the village,” she said.
Chimfwembe told her one day that if he found me sleeping with another man he would not do anything because their marriage had ended.

The court decided that the only way to avoid death between the two was to end their marriage.
“People in marriage need to communicate. There is lack of trust, lack of respect one of you can die. Divorce is granted because the court cannot force a marriage. It is a voluntary union between two parties,” magistrate Newa said.

“From the look of things the court will not award compensation. The children will continue staying with Kalumba and you will maintain them with K350 effective monthend of May.”

She also ordered Chimfwembe to pay for the children’s education, healthcare and buy them clothes.

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