A Zambian court has dissolved the marriage between Jackson Changwe, 48, and his wife Mirriam Namutowe, after he openly admitted to fathering three children with his wife and impregnating her younger sister.
Jackson claimed his wife’s frequent desertions led him to “appoint” her sister as a temporary replacement, and surprisingly, he alleged his father-in-law had given him permission to do so.
However, his wife accused him of being a womanizer, revealing he had lied about working in Namibia and instead used those trips to visit other women.
Despite Jackson’s pleas to save the marriage, promising to cease relations with his sister-in-law, the court ruled in favor of dissolution.
The court ordered Jackson to pay his wife K12,000 in K500 installments as part of the divorce settlement.
The judge determined that the marriage had irretrievably broken down, citing Jackson’s infidelity and behavior as grounds for the divorce, aligning with Section 9(1) of the Matrimonial Causes Act No. 20 of 2007 in Zambia.
In Zambia, divorce can be granted on grounds of irretrievable breakdown, including adultery, unreasonable behavior, desertion for at least two years, or separation for two years with mutual consent or five years without consent.
The Matrimonial Causes Act emphasizes the importance of reconciliation efforts before proceeding with divorce, highlighting the court’s role in promoting marital resolution.