WHILE Jesus Christ wrote on sand and asked irate sinners to stone a prostitute to death if they had never sinned before, a Lusaka man used a similar skill to draw a line on sand, not to prevent judgement but to refuse reconciling with his wife.
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This was because 37 year old Tony Nchima was tired of his wife’s addiction to gambling that his patience could no longer be contained like okra on the fire once covered with a lid.
It was heard in court that his 34-year-old wife Prudence Ndingo of Garden House area, a business woman neglected her wifely and parental duties to fan her fire for gambling.
Ndingo, a mother of four found herself unable to put down the dice and stop playing “Kandeke” as it has taken over her life like a malignant tumor.
But her husband, Nchima a contractor residing in Zingalume area expressed deep frustration over his wife’s gambling addiction, stating that it has caused numerous issues within their marriage and that he can no longer tolerate the destructive behavior.
This is in a case where Ndingo reached out to the Matero Local Court, seeking their help to reconcile the two estranged lovers.
Despite Ndingo’s efforts of wanting reconciliation, Nchima held firm in his unwillingness to reconcile as his wife’s gambling addiction had become an overwhelming challenge to rebuilding their relationship.
Nchima, whose grievances went beyond Ndingo’s gambling addiction also raised concerns about her lack of respect in their marriage, asserting that her behaviour had become intolerable.
“My wife’s behaviour goes beyond her gambling addiction, she has shown a blatant lack of respect in our marriage which has exacerbated the strain on our relationship,” he said.
He also revealed that his wife’s gambling addiction had extended to a credit dependence, further exacerbating the financial instability that had begun to plague their relationship.
“My wife’s gambling addiction has manifested in more ways than just her obsession with the dice because she has also become highly dependent on credit, which has placed us under immense financial pressure, further straining our marriage,” Nchima said.
“I am tired of her, I have tried to be patient and understanding but I cannot continue to put myself and our children at risk when her addiction has such a significant impact on our lives.”
On the other hand, Ndingo struggled to comprehend the enormity of what was happening with tears welling up in her eyes as her world seemed to crumble around her.
She was overcome with emotion, unable to utter a single word in the face of this unexpected turn of events.
And presiding over the case, senior magistrate Lewis Mumba suggested that divorce might be the most practical solution for both parties, citing the unlikely possibility of resolving their difficulties without drastic changes from both husband and wife.
“Reconciliation has failed on the basis that the defendant has refused to reconcile with the plaintiff, parties are however advised to sue for divorce.”
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba May 20, 2025
