Nalolo Independent member of parliament George Imbuwa has consented to divorce his wife, Ushe Mweemba who recently asked the Lusaka High Court to dissolve their 12-year marriage saying the parliamentarian had abandoned his matrimonial home.

Imbuwa lamented that he could not find it in him to reconcile and resume cohabitation with his wife as he still found her unreasonable behaviour, intolerable.

On February 5, this year, Mweemba petitioned Imbuwa for divorce saying that her husband had been staying at Parliament Motel since 2016, adding that he had ceased to speak to her or having meals with the family.

According to a petition for dissolution of marriage filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mweemba had stated that the couple got married on December 5, 2007 and from then to date had resided in Makeni, Lusaka.

Mweemba lamented that their marriage had broken down irretrievably and that her husband had behaved in such a way that she could not reasonably be expected to live with him.

She stated that her husband had neglected the household and had abandoned their matrimonial home.

Mweemba added that her husband had stayed at Parliament Motel since 2016 and only went home when Parliament was not in session, adding that even when he did, he slept in a separate room.

She stated that the duo in fact lived separate lives.

Mweemba further disclosed that the couple had not had sexual relations since September 2017.

“The respondent has been uninterested and unresponsive to any suggestions of intimacy and has not been intimate with the petitioner physically or otherwise,” the petition read.

Mweemba stated that her husband had stopped speaking to her since 2017 even after several attempts to talk to him.

But in his answer and cross petition, Imbuwa admitted that the couple’s marriage had broken down irretrievably but denied the reasons given by his wife.

He denied the fact that their marriage had broken down on account of his unreasonable behaviour but because of his wife’s unreasonable behaviour.

Imbuwa accused his wife not staying at home and only returning late at around 22:00 hours and sometimes in the wee hours of the morning.

“The petitioner has repeatedly been absent from the matrimonial home on various days in a week and only returns home at very late times in the night ranging from 22:00 hours to 03:00 hours. The petitioner’s conduct of arriving at unacceptably late hours has constantly occurred for the past six years and is repeated by her two to five times in a week,” he stated.

Imbuwa added that his wife’s conduct which had been characterized by excess alcohol consumption, had repeatedly resulted in violent confrontations perpetuated by his wife when he questioned her on her whereabouts and constant late return to their home.

“Her conduct has resulted in the children of the family having little or no care despite her not being in employment because she is occupied with alcohol consumption and being away from home,” he stated.

Imbuwa further claimed that his wife had failed to maintain their matrimonial home in a clean manner due to the time spent away from home, prompting him to hire two maids when their house was small.

He added that apart from being violent, his wife had been disrespectful towards him in the presence of their children and that she did not give his relatives attention.

“Her conduct has reached alarming levels forcing the petitioner to lock himself in a separate room in their house to escape her alcohol induced violent conduct for the sake of the children as well as his standing as a public figure, who members of the public look up to. The petitioner has behaved in such a way that he cannot live with her,” Imbuwa stated.

“Due to the petitioner’s unreasonable behavior, the respondent finds it intolerant to continue cohabiting with her as they have been living apart since 2017.”

The lawmaker lamented that he could not find it in him to reconcile and resume cohabitation with his wife as he still found her unreasonable behaviour exceptionally intolerable.

Imbuwa prays that their 12-year marriage be dissolved and that Mweemba should vacate their matrimonial home as he purchased it before the marriage was solemnized.

He further wants the court to grant the pair joint custody of the children adding that he should continue to maintain them (children) as he had always done.

Mweemba is also seeking an order for property settlement and that each party should bear it’s own costs.