A 73-year-old woman has filed for divorce from her 76-year-old husband in Kangema, Murang’a, saying he abandoned her for a second wife.
They have been married for 55 years.
Wheelchair-bound Marcella Mukami told a Kangema court on Friday she wants a share of Peter Kinyugo’s property because they built businesses together.
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She said she earns only Sh2,000 from her farm, her husband took her pension and does not support her.
Mukami from Kiru location in Mathioya constituency told the court she contributed to purchase of the family land and construction of their permanent home.
That’s when both were working as teachers. Mukami said when Kinyugo married his second wife, he gave the bigger chunk of their land to her, leaving her with a small parcel.
“I helped plant the tea he gave her and he left me without any. I had to plant tea afresh on the small land he gave me,” Mukami told the court.
Mukami was wheeled into court from Huruma Hospital in Nanyuki. She told senior resident magistrate Dennis Kivuti her marital issues worsened six years ago when her husband stopped visiting her.
Mukami said she built many businesses with Kinyugo and she wants a share of them.
She said her husband forced her to participate in his traditional wedding to his second wife and to live in the same house with her for a year.
Defence counsel Gichuki Waiganjo produced photos of Mukami and her co-wife during her dowry ceremony.
Mukami saidher husband took her pension after she retired from teaching, adding they shared an account. “Just before I retired, I applied for a separate account but my pension still got into the joint account,” she said.
The hearing is continue on February 15, when Kinyugo will testify.