An High Court judge in Kenya, Teresia Matheka has declared that being a housewife should be considered a full-time job.
The judge, who was presiding over a matrimonial property dispute, said that it was rather unfair for courts to rule that housewives have no significant contribution to the financial progression of a family.
Justice Matheka opined that housewives offer full-time services at home and should not regard themselves as jobless.
She further argued that it was unfair to use visible income and the mindset that one has to dig deep into their pockets during the marriage to evaluate their financial value.
“It is easy for the spouse working away from home and sending money to lay claim to the whole property purchased and developed with that money by the spouse staying at home and taking of the children and the family. That spouse will be heard saying that the other one was not employed so they did not contribute anything.
“Raising children is a full-time job that families pay a person to do as well as cooking and cleaning. Hence, for a woman in employment who has to balance childbearing and rearing this contribution must be considered,” she said.
The judge also urged her counterparts to consider the nine (9) months of pregnancy when presiding over cases of matrimonial disputes.
She opined that carrying a pregnancy is equivalent to working, noting that some couples have lately resorted to hiring surrogate mothers to bear children for them.
Justice Matheka made the statements as she read her ruling in a case where a divorced lady sought to have their family property sold and the money shared equally between her and her ex-husband.
She ruled that the property be sold and money shared equally, or one of the spouses buy out the other party by paying half the value of the property that the party is entitled to.
