title: Set Her Free
author: Kithinji, Gerald
description: Mozambique had just emerged from a lengthy and punishing guerilla war. Normalcy was slowly returning and citizens were enthusiastically enjoying the first small fruits of freedom and relative security. Dona Lucia, a young married woman decides to look for employment. Her husband, Germßno- who never encouraged her to get employment- does not object openly. When she lands a job with an NGO and gets promoted, he suspects that she is moving with her expatriate bosses. He starts a hate campaign. She loses her job. He then tightens control of the finances and becomes mean, violent and cruelly jealous. Under cover of duty, he starts gallivanting and takes a mistress whom he installs in an expensive penthouse. When she learns of this and queries, Germßno denies it, beats her and throws her out of the marital home. He travels on duty to Beira with the mistress, Aurora. How did the tables turn in Dona Lucia's favour? Riveting all the way!