MARRIAGE NOT ALL ABOUT SEX – COURT
Written by Millennium on September 30, 2019
CHARLES MUSONDA writes
@SunZambian
A YOUNG couple has been counselled not to concentrate on having children they cannot afford to support.
Lusaka Magistrate Nsunge Chanda on Friday advised Christine Chilanga, 23, and Gilbert Phiri, 25, that the trend of young couples having children they cannot manage to raise is contributing to the growth in street kids’ population.
“I can see where the poverty is coming from. Your friends are going to school but you are having children. Marriage is not about sex, it is about the future so that you will be able to feed the children you are bringing on earth. “The two of you have a responsibility because you enjoyed (sex). Even you the woman have to work,” Ms. Chanda said.
In this case Chilanga sued Phiri for maintenance of their twin girls aged two years and four months after separating for seven months.
Asked by Ms. Chanda what he has given his children in the seven months they have been on separation, Phiri said he had been taking mealie meal to Chilanga but the court asked him if he was sure that his children were just eating nshima without stew. She further observed that Chilanga and Phiri were putting the burden on their respective parents to feed their children they had on their own.
Asked by the court on the amount he was ready to give Chilanga per month, Phiri said he could only afford K400 as he only does piece works at Power Tools but Chilanga rejected the amount on grounds that she used to see his K1, 000 salary and that he used to have more money than his salary during the week.
Ms. Chanda later ordered Phiri to buy the children clothes every six months and told Chilanga to call him each time the toddlers fell sick.
She also old Phiri that not to be forced to support his children if he knows that they are his.
But Phiri said Chilanga rejected his K400 and that she had never allowed him to see his children since they separated.
In her defence, Chilanga said when her mother took her away for marriage counselling, Phiri’s mother said there was no marriage between the two as her son had just damaged Chilanga to which the court agreed that Phiri’s mother was right.
Chilanga also informed the court that Phiri caused her to sleep in Chawama Police cells after she broke window panes at his mother’s house and the court told her that Phiri was justified because she committed a criminal offence. The court later increased the monthly child maintenance fee from K400 to K500 and gave custody of the children to Chilanga but told her to allow Phiri have access to them 100 percent.
“You (Phiri) should be proud of your children and these conditions I have given are subject to review every six months,” Ms. Chanda said. Chilanga later sent the court into laughter when she disclosed that Phiri has again impregnated her as the two used to have sex when he visited her at her mother’s place.
The court then told Phiri to pay bride price and marry Chilanga but he said her mother refused when he and his family wanted to pay for damage and dowry together and that he is not sure if he is responsible for Chilanga’s current pregnancy.
