My wife is beating me

I am a 30 year old man who is married to a professional woman. My wife usually comes home very late from work. One day, she came home from work and I asked her to cook for me. We got into an argument and she slapped me and hit me with a pan. She told me she is an independent woman and cannot be expected to be my house maid. I suffered injuries on my forehead and my arm. Instead of taking me to the hospital, my wife mocked me and went out with her friends for dinner and drinks. This is not the first time this is happening, she has also exchanged punches with me. I do not want to divorce my wife but I want to know my rights? Can a wife just beat her husband with no consequences?
KN, Shinyanga

We sympathize with you. Whilst we support your wife’s right to earn an income and be independent, what she has done is a criminal offence. Slapping or punching any person falls within the ambit of section 241 of the Penal Code [Cap. 16 R.E 2022] which states that any person who occasions actual bodily harm on another person is guilty of an offence and may be held liable to imprisonment for 5 years. Depending on the extent of the injury, this may also fall under the definition of grievous bodily harm and if found guilty, your wife can be charged with an even more serious offence than causing actual bodily harm.

Whilst we wish you and your wife the best, you should not expose yourself to such incidents.  Consult a marriage counselor and/or your lawyer in the event that such violence persists. We wish you all the best.