Woman Allegedly Sues Boyfriend for Not Proposing After Eight-Year Relationship

A 26-year-old woman from Zambia recently made international news for allegedly taking her boyfriend to court because he “wasted her time” by failing to propose after an eight-year relationship.

Tired of waiting for her partner to pop the big question, Gertrude Ngoma decided to take him to court, as a way of forcing his hand. The woman from Ndola, Zambia’s second largest city, claims Herbert Salaliki, 28, promised to marry her, and even paid the lobola (a traditional dowry) to her parents, as a sign that he will take care of her, but has since been putting it off. Despite having a baby together, the two have never even lived together, with Gertrude remaining in her parents’ house. Now she is demanding that Herbert make a decision about their future.

“Your Honor, he has never been serious, that is why I brought him to court, because I deserve to know the way forward and my future with him,” Gertrude reportedly told the court, adding that she also suspects Salaliki has been cheating, after discovering his texts to another woman.

The 28-year-old man told the judge that he did in fact want to marry Gertrude, but didn’t have the money to do so. He claims that Ngoma was to blame for the lack of communication between them, because she never gives him attention.

After hearing both their testimonies, Presiding magistrate Evelyn Nalwize said that there was nothin the court could do, because there was no marriage, despite the paid dowry. She advised Gertrude to sue for breach of marriage contract.