[2023] KEMC 28 (KLR)

JNN v SNW (Divorce Cause E330 of 2023) [2023] KEMC 28 (KLR) (1 November 2023) (Judgment)

Neutral citation: [2023] KEMC 28 (KLR)

Republic of Kenya

In the Milimani Commercial Chief Magistrate's Courts

Divorce Cause E330 of 2023

JP Aduke, SRM

November 1, 2023

Between

JNN

Petitioner

and

SNW

Respondent

Judgment

1. The Petitioner filed the petition dated 08th March 2023 seeking a divorce on the grounds of cruelty and irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Return of service on record shows that the respondent was served with the petition and annexures thereto. The respondent neither entered appearance nor filed a response. The petitioner filed an application seeking to have the petition proceed undefended. Return of service on record shows the petitioner served the respondent with the said application. These proceedings proceeded undefended.

2. The brief facts of the case are as contained in para 1-10 of the petition on record. In summary, J.N.N and S.N.W solemnized their marriage on 12th July 2017 at the Office of the Attorney General in Kenya. Both of them are domiciled in Kenya. The parties have no intentions of salvaging this marriage. The particulars of the grounds for divorce are outlined in the petition as follows:1. Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage;2. Cruelty;

3. At the hearing thereof, the petitioner relied on the petition and verifying affidavit on record as evidence in chief in support of the petition for divorce. Notably, the petitioner averred that the contents of the petition remained true as at the date of the hearing. She prayed for an order of dissolution of the marriage.

4. The issue for determination before this court is whether or not the marriage between the parties merits an order of divorce under The Marriage Act, 2014 (hereafter, the Act).

5. The applicable law is s.66 (dissolution of Civil Marriages) of the Act which provides that the court may grant separation or divorce on the following grounds:1. adultery by the other spouse;2. cruelty by the other spouse;3. exceptional depravity by the other spouse;4. desertion by the other spouse for at least 3 years;5. the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

6. I have considered the particulars of the grounds outlined in the petition and how those have contributed to the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage as contemplated under s.66 of the Act. I have also noted the length of physical separation of the couple herein, and relied on the reasoning of the court in JSM vs ENB[2015]. With respect to intention to salvage the union, I have noted the unequivocal terms of para 8 of the Petition on lack of such intention. The reasoning of the court in ROK v MJB [2017] and TPH v NVS [2017] eKLR cannot be emphasized enough-“marriage is a voluntary union……this court cannot by any means order or compel the parties to remain married when the petitioner has categorically stated that she wants the same dissolved…”

7. Seeing as this court cannot force two adults to live together when there is no more love between them, I allow the petition dated 08th March 2023 on the following terms:1. the marriage between the two be and is hereby dissolved.2. Decree nisi do issue to be made absolute in 30 days.3. This being a family matter, each party to bear own costs.4. The petitioner is at liberty to file a suit in the Children Court Nairobi for appropriate reliefs on custody and maintenance of the issue of the union.

JUDGEMENT DATED AND SIGNED THIS 01ST NOVEMBER 2023 AT 11. 30AM.ADUKE JEAL PRAXADES ATIENOSENIOR RESIDENT MAGISTRATEIn the presence of :Counsel for the Petitioner- N/ACounsel for the Respondent: N/A