Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa’s ex-wife, Mwika Mwenechanya, has asked the Lusaka High Court to order the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to be paying her K7,000 every month out of the mayor’s earnings for child maintenance.

In this matter, Mwika, an economist at the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) asked the Court to order Sampa to be paying more than K30,000 monthly, for child maintenance following the couple’s divorce.

Mwika had disclosed that since the presentation of the petition for the dissolution of the marriage, Sampa had declined to make any financial contribution towards the child’s monthly needs and also declined to pay her current school fees.

She stated that unless the outstanding school fees in the sum of US $13,090 were remitted before the due date, the child would not be permitted to attend classes.

And recently, the Court ordered Sampa to be paying maintenance for his daughter of K7,000 monthly, but according to Mwika, in an alleged contempt of court, Sampa had neglected to comply with the Court’s order.

The Court had further ordered that Sampa paid the balance of US $13,000 outstanding school fees at the American International School (AIS).

He was also ordered to be providing a driver to pick up the child from school as well as putting the child on council medical scheme to which he was entitled to by virtue of being a mayor.

But according to an affidavit in support of ex parte summons for an attachment of earnings order filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mwika stated that despite the Court ordering Sampa to be paying for child maintenance, he had allegedly failed to comply with the ruling of the Court to pay the money he was ordered for the month of May and June, 2019.

She stated that Sampa was, therefore, in arrears of sums amounting to K14,000, adding that he had further failed to pay the balance of US $13,000 school fees at the AIS.

Mwika stated that as a result of Sampa’s failure to settle the balance at the said school, she had to pay a sum equivalent to US $3,000, otherwise the child would have been chased out of school.

She claimed that despite various requests made through her lawyers to Sampa, he had failed to settle the amount due as per court ruling.

Mwika further stated that Sampa was in full-time employment as Mayor of the greater City of Lusaka and he was financially able to comply with the ruling of the Court.

She stated that Sampa’s disobedience was causing hardship on the child of the family and herself as they were unable to meet the family financial obligations to sustain their daily needs.

Mwika stated that Sampa intended to continue disobeying the Court ruling unless compelled to do so by the Court.

For this reason, Mwika wants the Court to further order Sampa to make payments out of his earnings in accordance with the Affiliation and Maintenance of the Children Act.