Jose Chameleone’s wife Daniella Atim files for divorce over desertion and emotional neglect; Seeks custody of five children and ownership of Sseguku matrimonial home

Jose Chameleone and Daniella Atim.

The long-standing marriage between celebrated Ugandan musician Joseph Mayanja, better known as Jose Chameleone, and his wife Daniella Atim has reached the courts after Atim filed for divorce, accusing the singer of deserting her for five years.

In a petition lodged on March 20, 2025, before the Family Division of the High Court in Kampala, Atim, through Wamimbi Advocates and Solicitors, claimed that Chameleone’s prolonged absence and lack of support had left her emotionally distressed and mildly depressed.

She told the court that the musician’s failure to show love, compassion, or empathy had torn their marriage apart, leaving no chance of reconciliation. “There is no collusion, connivance as to the dissolution of the marriage between us,” Atim noted in her filing.

This was not her first attempt to seek legal redress. Back in April 2023, Atim issued a divorce notice accusing Chameleone of cruelty and infidelity, saying the marriage had long since broken down.

Court records show the couple, both Roman Catholics, were married on June 7, 2008, at St. James Catholic Parish Bbiina-Mutungo in Kampala. They later settled at Sseguku in Wakiso District, where they lived as husband and wife. Together, they have five children: Abba (19), Alfa (16), Alba (13), Amma (11), and Xara (6).

In her latest petition, Atim asked the court to dissolve the marriage and grant her custody of the children. She also requested ownership of the family’s Sseguku home, child maintenance, alimony, and coverage of her legal costs.

Chameleone, however, disputes his wife’s account. In his response, the musician—who is one of Uganda’s most prominent performers—argued that his busy career often kept him away from home but insisted he never abandoned his family.

He explained that he and Atim had agreed to relocate their young family to the United States in 2018 “in search of a better life,” and that he purchased a home there for her and the children.

According to Chameleone, problems began soon after the relocation, when Atim allegedly grew distant, antagonistic, and intolerant. He maintains that despite these tensions, he has always respected and supported her. He also accused her of repeatedly airing their private disputes on social media, a practice he says has caused him psychological distress and even hospital admissions.

The singer denies abandoning his children, claiming instead that Atim has turned some of them against him. He asked the court to dismiss the petition with costs, stressing that he wants the Sseguku property preserved as a family home for their children whenever they are in Uganda.

Chameleone further opposed Atim’s request for alimony, insisting she is gainfully employed in the US and capable of supporting herself. He instead requested joint custody of the children and proposed that both parents contribute to their upbringing. While he agreed that the marriage should be dissolved, he asked that costs be awarded in his favour.

According to The New Vision, on Monday, the estranged couple appeared before acting Principal Judge Jane Okuo Kajuga for mediation. Atim was represented by lawyer Emmanuel Wamimbi, while Chameleone attended with his counsel Roberts Friday Kagoro. The mediation session, however, ended without resolution, leaving the next step of the high-profile case to be determined by the court.