Tayali, first wife divorce

GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA writes THE Lusaka High Court has dissolved the marriage between Economic and Equity party leader Chilufya Tayali and his first wife Marie-Reine Ingabire Rutagwera. In granting divorce, Justice Sharon Newa said the evidence before her proved that the marriage between Tayali and Rutagwera had broken down irretrievably as the parties have lived apart for a continuous period of two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition and Tayali’s consents to divorce being granted.  “I accordingly find that the petitioner has proved her case , and I grant a decree nisi for the dissolution of the marriage that was solemnized on April 30th, 2008. The decree nisi shall become absolute after a period of six weeks. The parties are at liberty to file a consent order with regard to the custody of the children of the family,” said Justice Newa.  In this matter, Rutagwera petitioned the Court to dissolve her marriage of 12 years to Tayali as it had broken down irretrievably. In the petition, Rutagwera said she was lawfully married to Tayali on April 30,2008 at the office of the registrar of marriages in Lusaka. The petitioner contended that she and Tayali had lived apart for a period in excess of two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition. She said  Tayali consented to the dissolution of the said marriage. Rutagwera who is a public health specialist said she last co-habited with Tayali as husband and wife on May 18, 2010 at house number 14, Njoka road Olympia. She stated that there were two children of the family aged 15 and 13 years born on April 5, 2003 and January 20, 2007 now living. Rutagwera said there were previous proceedings in the High court with regards to the said marriage under cause no. 2010/HPD/106 but were abandoned after the record went missing at the High court since 2013. Tayali’s first wife explained that she petitioned for dissolution of marriage on December 7, 2010 and filed her submissions and judgement date was set for February 2013 and Justice Emelia Sunkutu was transferred from Lusaka and no judgement had since been rendered. The Sun