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The Samaritan Book Summary By John Lara
Course: Literature (101)
58 Documents
Students shared 58 documents in this course
University: Machakos University
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THE SAMARITAN BY JOHN LARA
The story is set in Maracas Municipality in a fictional state. During Sagrada
Secondary School's end of the year closing ceremony, Mossi the mayor is invited to
launch 'The Samaritan', a computer programme in the form of application which is an
invention of students Alvita and Montano under the mentorship of Nicole, the Ethics
and Innovation teacher. The app works by people sharing information in the form of
pictures, videos and texts depicting corruption within the municipality but the mayor
surprisingly denies it on counts of possible misinformation, lie and witch hunt. He
asks Nicole to stop it but seems like it is too late because it now is in the hands of
National Information and Communications Technology Corporation.
Mayor Mossi convenes an impromptu meeting a few weeks later in order to deliberate
on their fate as the app has taken a turn for the worse and stories of rot in the
municipality is dominating headlines in the daily newspapers. The meeting comprises
of Bembe the IG of police, Harvester the municipality CEO, Ted the Secretary
Department of Health, Ramdaye the deputy mayor and Jaden the judge. They plan on
stopping the operations of the Samaritan app by mobilizing money to fight the graft
cases on them, restitution(confessing and return embezzled public cash and property)
and re allocating the Municipal Fund budget which Mossi vehemently refuses as it
would all be traced back to him in the long run, to the dismay of Ted and Seymour
whom financed his political bid and he in turn had advocated for their election to the
council.
The meeting between Bembe, Mossi and Harvester sheds light on their corrupt
dealings. Bembe is accused of drug peddling, violation of human rights, extortion of
motorists by his gang of Ghettoboyz and encroachment of public land by buying and
building Madingo Golf Club in Maracas University land. Mossi is accused of
Municipal capture while Harvester is accused of abuse of office by writing and
posting a letter to the National government to suppress the usage of The Samaritan
and related apps within the municipality. They claim that Basdeo the opposition leader
is the one behind the leaked documents on the Samaritan app. They resolve to hold
press conferences daily to show that the municipal is committed and is working and
also plan to thwart the meeting planned by Ted, Seymour and his deputy with the
councillors to spearhead a vote of no confidence in him. They plan this by organizing
goons and police plus youth to co ordinate burning of tires, mattresses, sacks and
polythene papers next to the municipal offices.
Alvita and Montano are worried on the implications of the Samaritan on Nicole
especially after closing day threat by Mossi but she assures them that all will be well
so they had to remain strong and hopeful that the app uncovers the rot in the
municipality. The biblical allusion of the parable of the good samaritan who saved an
injured man who had been attacked by robbers but ignored by the levite and high
priest due to religious differences. The two symbolize the leaders who cannot work
for the people who elected them but instead focus on their personal agenda leaving the
people to fend for themselves.
Mayor then convenes a meeting with Nicole and sheds light to rot in the municipality.
He is so ignorant that fails to get access to the copy of the letter sent to him by her on
the reply concerning the app he asked her to pull down. He thinks Basdeo can use the
app to frame him so he spills the beans on his cartel. Ramdaye is responsible for the
poorly done roads while Ted conspired with family to get hospital construction
tenders but built nothing concrete. Mayor is surprised that people actually voted for
them and accuses the latter, a former DJ for noise pollution and improper grooming