WHILE some women may be exploring the limits of their carnal desires, bound and tied up to wardrobes as their partners drill their tunnel of pleasure as if it is an attempt to reach the heart, a Lusaka wife’s bedroom stadium has not been played on for a long while.
The very thought of the most basic of romantic gestures, a simple caress or stolen kisses is a distant memory for 29-year-old Romance Chinyanta, as her husband, Martin Katumbi, 34 constantly leaves her blue ticked, starving her of her wifely rights.
This prolonged sexual isolation has left Chinyanta questioning whether Katumbi still views her as a woman.
Therefore, to escape the mental torture and forced fasting, she took brought the matter before Senior Magistrate Lewis Mumba at the Matero Local Court, where Chinyanta sought to dissolve her marriage.
Despite being married for three years and having two children, Chinyanta told the court that the last one year-six-months have been unbearable, a complete package of emotional and physical isolation.
She revealed that in the same period, her husband had been sleeping on the floor and sometimes in the living room.
“When I asked him why he sleeps down, my husband informed me that he no longer has feelings for me, leaving me to face the harsh truth that our marriage has been reduced to a mere arrangement without love or warmth,” Chinyanta shared.
She added that Katumbi once resorted to rectifying his diminishing sexual interests for her through the use of a common bedroom gymnastics enhancers.
However, his weapon of mass reproduction could stand like Mulyokela on the presidential ballot.
She also disclosed that whenever she would approach her husband, seeking to engage in extracurricular activities, he would lash out at her, often resorting to physical abuse to deter her advances.
“I have been deprived of affection and intimacy for far too long, and it is slowly destroying me from within,” she stated.
“My plea for divorce is an attempt to salvage what little self-esteem and sense of self remain after enduring such prolonged isolation and neglect.”
As Katumbi rose to deliver his side of the story, he coldly agreed to divorce Chinyanta without any attempt to address the issues raised by his wife.
“I have nothing to say on this matter, our marriage has been plagued by misunderstandings and the best course of action is to end it once and for all. Let us both move on with our lives. I seriously don’t want to be with her,” stated Katumbi.
Magistrate Mumba granted the divorce, noting Katumbi’s acceptance of allegations and demeanor indicated he had moved on.
The magistrate stressed that a marriage without intimacy for a long time is only standing by the name of the union emphasising that forcing such a union only prolongs suffering.
He ordered for equal division of household goods and K1,000 monthly for child maintenance, effective July month-end.
While no general compensation was ordered due to the marriage’s short duration, Katumbi was to pay Chinyanta K6,000 in monthly installments for a year, due to the distress she suffered during their one year and six months together.
“Katumbi is ordered to pay her K500 per month for the next 12 months as maintenance for the distress inflicted on his wife. This is for the torture yogona kawilo,” ruled magistrate Mumba.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba July 24, 2025
