'˜A husband ban blocks my chance to have children'

A Sandy clinical researcher dealing with breast cancer has alleged a judge has stopped her and her Zimbabweian husband from living together in the UK despite being married for nearly 10 years.
NewsNews
News

Now Mrs Mahlet Muchenje of Newtown, Sandy, has appealed to a new judge to allow her husband Oliver to join her so they can start a family.

The appeal was made at Birmingham Immigration and Asylum Appeal tribunal where judge Mrs Shirley Kebede was told that the previous judge had refused to allow Mr Muchenje to come to the UK because he did not believe the couple would live together permanently.

Mr Fadi Farhat, representing Mrs Muchenje, told Mrs Kebede that the previous judge had agreed that they had been legally married in Zimbabwe.

“But he said he did not believe they would live permanently together in the UK and refused Mr Muchenje’s entry to the UK.”

Mr Farhat said the view was that the couple could live together in Zimbabwe.

But Mr Farhat said that it would not be wise for Mrs Muchenje to go Zimbabwe because her political views against the ruling Government were known.

“She would have to lie about her political background if she went to Zimbabwe,” he said.

“Mrs Muchenje could also lose her refugee status in this country if she leaves.

“It appears the previous judge was not aware that Mr Muchenje, who is a qualified quantity surveyor working in the construction industry, and his wife are in the process of buying property here and want to start a family.”

Mrs Muchenje who works for a research firm, said she and her husband were married nine and half years ago and that she had not seen him since last year.

“He is at present working in the Middle East and we last met in Paris,” she said “ We cannot understand why we are not allowed to live together in this country.”

The Home Office told Mrs Kebede that it supported the previous decision.

Mrs Kebede said she could not say when she would make a decision.

Related topics: