Why I am divorcing Taita Taveta Women Representative Joyce Lay- William Lay

 William Lay has petitioned the court to dissolve the marriage between himself Joyce , saying the union is untenable

Taita Taveta Women Representative Joyce Wanjala Lay is facing divorce from her husband for 'irreconcilable differences', The Nairobian can exclusively reveal.

The beautiful politician shot to national limelight when she sensationally accused Turbo MP Elisha Busienei of sexual harassment during a foreign trip in Tokyo last March. Her accusations against the first-time MP, however have nothing to do with the divorce because the proceedings started before Mrs Lay's sensational disclosure last month.

In a divorce case filed at the Milimani Commercial Courts on February 22, William Lay has petitioned the court to dissolve the marriage between himself and Joyce Wanjala Mwakalindo, saying the union had broken down and is untenable.

"All efforts at reconciliation have been futile and the parties have been living separately for a considerable amount of time," says a source who has seen the the divorce petition.

Lay says in the petition that, "There are no reasonable prospects that the marriage can be salvaged."

The two were married on August 25, 2007 at Thunder and Fire Ministries Church in Nairobi. In an interview with The Nairobian earlier in January, Joyce said she met Lay after school during an event to honour the 1998 bomb attack victims. After the marriage, the two lived in Muthaiga before moving to Runda.

According to our source, the petition was drawn by Kemboy & Company Advocates on behalf of William Lay, while Joyce Lay has filed a counter petition through Ransley, McVicker and Shaw Advocates.

Joyce Lay's story is that of rags to riches.

"I was born in a small village called Mariwenyi in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County," she told The Nairobian in a previous interview, revealing that she often went without food and that she wore her first pair of shoes in Form One.

"I had only one wash-and-wear dress and do not even ask if I had a panty!" she said.

Her Administration Police officer dad was always away and whenever he was home, he beat their mother frequently.

Joyce, who has attempted suicide, also revealed her love affair with a schoolmate who eventually made her pregnant and forced her to drop out of school. Her son, she said, passed on when she was only 19.

Joyce later registered as a private candidate for KCSE.

Her meeting with Lay, she says happened at an event to honour the 1998 bomb blast victims

"Bill is a great person. He stood by me even when I was an embarrassment," she says. "He was by me when we could not even enjoy conjugal rights and through a second surgery to remove my uterus," Joyce told The Nairobian.

Owing to her health issues, Joyce and Bill opted for a surrogate birth.