A 25 year old man told a Local Court in Lusaka that he cannot continue in marriage with his dirty wife and that is why he has decided to marry his girlfriend who is clean.

Edward Simwanza a businessman of Garden House compound was testifying in a case in which his wife, Margret Simwanza, 24, sued him for reconciliation.

The two got married in 2012 and have two children.

Margaret told Senior Court Magistrate Lewis Mumba sitting with Magistrate Abbyshine Michelo at Kanyama Local Court that she sued Simwanza because he deserted her for a girlfriend by the name of Carol Mumbi and that when they went to Victim Support Unit, he said he wanted to marry Carol.

In defence, Simwanza said that he impregnated Carol in 2008 but her parents said he couldn’t get her before because she was still in school.

He explained that when marrying Margret, he did not tell her that he had a girlfriend but that since 2015, he had been complaining about her being dirty but she has failed to change.

Simwanza further said his wife became like the head of the house. “When I ask her about the business, she would tell me to ask my young brother. On February 14, 2016, I slapped her because I was angered. The girlfriend where I stayed for a month is clean but I love Margaret also,’’ said Simwanza.

Asked by the court if he wanted to have two wives or divorce Margaret, Simwanza, who initially said that he still loved his wife, changed his mind and opted for divorce.

Magistrate Mumba said that Simwanza was supposed to continue teaching Margaret about cleanliness because there were no serious grounds of divorce, adding that soon he would also find fault in Carol.

He ruled a failed reconciliation on the basis that Simwanza refused to reconcile with Margret.