With the bible assigning a man as a provider of the home, a 42-year-old woman of Chaisa compund in Lusaka was forced to kick out her lazy and playful husband who started failing to pay rentals in their matrimonial home.
Magret Zulu was dragged to the the Matero Local Court by her husband of 19 years, Lameck Zulu, 45 for divorce on grounds that she chased him out of their home in 2022.
The couple has been married since 2005, blessed with three children, and have been on separation for two years.
In his statement, Lameck said the couple only lived well together for 12 years of their marriage, and started having marital disputes that led to their separation.
“We started having problems until she chased me in March 2022 from our house because I was not able to pay rentals. But after I left, she still continued to follow me where I shifted to shout at me. I’m here to get a divorce so she can leave me in peace,” said Lameck.
But in her defence, Magaret said the fall of the couple’s marriage started in 2018 after Lameck, who is a truck driver got a job that would allow him to cross borders from Zambia to Malawi.
She narrated that instead of using the job to better his family’s wellbeing, Lameck used the opportunity to play around at the border, forcing his employers to fail to pay him.
“His boss called and told me that my husband just plays around at the border so he was not getting paid and that affected our living. I had to take up the responsibility of paying rentals until I also started failing. My landlord ended up calling me a crook because I would always give him excuses that my husband would pay, and he never.
She said that later on, she heard that lazy Lameck had married another woman. This forced her to chase him from the house where she was forced to keep their three children alone.
“He later came and got our first daughter who is 14 without my permission and started living with her in a one roomed house where he lives with his new wife. My daughter is writing her grade seven exams and I do not think such an environment is healthy for her,” Margaret complained.
And in passing judgement, Magistrate Harriet Mulenga did not delay as both parties said they no longer loved each other or none wanted to be reconciled.
“Divorce granted. Plaintiff to compensate the defendant with K10,000. The custody of all the three children had been granted to the mother and shall be maintained by the father with K1,000, subject to review yearly,” said Magistrate Mulenga.
