The marriage between Nalolo Member of Parliament George Imbuwa and Ushe Mweemba is on the verge of ending after the lawmaker consented to his wife’s petition to dissolve the union. Mrs Imbuwa petitioned the Lusaka High Court to grant her divorce on grounds that her husband has abandoned the matrimonial home. In a petition for dissolution of marriage filed in the Lusaka High Court early this year, Mrs Imbuwa stated that each time Parliament adjourns, Mr Imbuwa has been remaining at National Assembly Motel since 2016.

“Even when he comes home to sleep, the respondent sleeps in a separate room,” the petition reads in part. Mrs Imbuwa said her husband, who stopped talking to her in 2017 despite efforts to reconcile, denies her conjugal rights. She also complained that Mr Imbuwa stopped having meals with the family in 2016 and prefers food from restaurants or take-aways. In his response, Mr Imbuwa accused his wife of having an unreasonable behaviour by staying out drinking beer and returning home late.

Mr Imbuwa also contested his wife’s assertions that the couple’s marriage has irretrievably broken down because of his unreasonable behaviour. He said his wife returns home around 22:00 hours and “sometimes in the early hours of the morning two to five times a week”. “Her unreasonable behaviour has been characterised by excess drinking, which has resulted in violent confrontations,”

Mr Imbuwa said. He said his wife’s behaviour has had a negative impact on the welfare of their children. “Her conduct has caused children to have little or no care despite her not being in employment because she is occupied with alcohol consumption and is ever away from home,” Mr Imbuwa said. He further accused his wife of failing to keep the matrimonial house clean, a predicament which compelled him to hire two maids to start cleaning the house.

Mr Imbuwa said his wife is allegedly violent and disrespectful to him, and that this happens in the presence of their children. “Her conduct has reached alarming levels, forcing the petitioner to lock himself in a separate room in their house to escape her violence,” the statement reads in part. The lawmaker feels his wife’s behaviour is incorrigible and unbearable. Mr Imbuwa prays that the 12-year marriage be dissolved and that his wife should vacate their matrimonial home because he bought it before the marriage was solemnised.