For months now, the blogosphere, represented by the likes of Sukuma Kenya, have been hunting for one elusive beast: the banana yellow fuel guzzling Humvee with UN plates in Nairobi. This polluter of choice for one UN staffer has been accused of being an insult to the UN’s attempt at being carbon neutral and it’s actions on curbing climate change.
Well, guess what? The Humvee showed up. Not in a dingy nightclub or some dimly lit back road, but in one of the primary ‘green’ places in Nairobi: the Nairobi National Park - at the parking lot. By coincidence, I was there, with a good camera. That is why I am able to present this magnificent picture of one of the rarest and most elusive species of beast in Kenya.
*Note: no attempt made to blur the registration number plates – that would be redundant.
The banana yellow Humvee shows up again
What the Humvee was doing in the one spot that makes Nairobi qualify to be called a ‘green’ city – and perhaps why the UN Environmental Programme has it’s headquarters in this city – is indeed puzzling. Did the seeming flamboyant owner suddenly realize that he cared about the environment? No doubt an oxymoron. Was it just another opportunity to show off his behemoth? Well, we’ll probably never know.
Whatever happens, the blogosphere can now feast their eyes on this beast and continue to ask themselves ‘will the UN Nairobi office ever change their ways?‘ ‘Will they ever practice what they preach?’ One thing is for sure though; the blogosphere will continue to try and bring them to their senses. Whether they’ll ever succeed or not is open for debate. Afterall, the eagles once sang:
And in the master’s chambers,
They gathered for the feast
The stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can’t kill the beast-The Eagles: Hotel California
17 responses so far ↓
Nairobi Notes // March 9, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
UGH the UN
ukwelii // March 9, 2009 at 1:44 pm |
That’s so interesting, I’ve seen the Humvee at Blankets and Wines, and at WAPI and British Council events. All I can say is this, I wouldn’t say anything bad about it. I saw the person driving it, and he is a +6ft 2 Gentleman, with a rather large and well fed ‘poodle’. It was one heck of a big dog.
theatreofinconveniences // March 9, 2009 at 2:20 pm |
@Nairobi Notes – My sentiments exactly
Just to be sure.
@Ukwelii – I thought I saw a sufficiently tall guy walking from it on this occasion but was unsure if he’s the guy who drives it. Had to lurk around and wait for him to disappear before I took this one
Nathan Fiala // March 10, 2009 at 4:05 pm |
I recently blogged about the UN SUV “problem” in Kenya here: http://postconflicted.blogspot.com/2009/02/environmental-impact-of-development.html.
I don’t know why the person feels they need a Hummer, but its not necessarily bad for the environment. As I mention in my blog post:
“if an SUV is what they need, then whats the problem? An SUV in an American suburb is disturbing, but if the Nairobi streets are as bad as I hear, or if the workers ever leave the city for the harsh roads of the countryside, SUVs make sense for transportation needs and wear on the vehicles.”
Hummer Fan // March 11, 2009 at 11:40 am |
Surely the writter did not do his/her homework. That particular H1 has EPA Compliant Certifications for the US, EU and was cleared for Kenya. There are more vehicles on Kenya roads and some owned by international expats that are non compiant
Anon // March 11, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
I know this car — i have seen it on Raphta road – in is this big apartment block after liza apartments that houses a gym, shops etc..
Kestrel // March 12, 2009 at 12:57 am |
that is quite the vehicle. Shame on these rascals!
sukuma // March 12, 2009 at 10:36 am |
Great to see Theater of Inconvenience still keeping the heat on hypocrisy going. It might come across as a small issue in the “grand scheme of things” but charity starts at home and it starts small. The UN is really in the spotlight right now (see this week’s East African) and we can all do our small bit to help them realise that they have to get the log out of their own asses before they can even attempt to tell the world what do to. What’s the point of them having these tax free jobs if they dont do much more than our useless MPs? We have enough garbage of our own in this country to take care of…
FormerUNContractor // March 12, 2009 at 3:23 pm |
sukuma :
There is a fundamental problem in your argument however well intentioned it may be.
The UN is not purchasing these vehicles for their staff. Choice of vehicle is a personal choice in the same way as you have a choice to live in a particular kind of house / wear particular kind of clothes etc.
If some UN staff are buying butt-ugly 4×4s why is it the fault of the organization ? Going by the same argument I have seen very many Kenyan civilians buy and drive big-ugly 4×4s….Why not run a cellular-photo-name-and-shame for everyone driving a hummer / 4×4 ? Maybe that would shame some of your friends / uncles / aunties ?
I used to drive a small motorcycle when I worked in Nairobi — there were many Kenyans who found it amusing and were even offended when I suggested it was an appropriate form of transport for Kenya. You have problem in your national psyche — don’t blame some organization’s staff for driving 4×4s … stop driving one yourself!!
–mm
sukuma // March 13, 2009 at 7:24 pm |
Mr. former UN Contractor: the fundamental problem is not in my argument but in the lack of personal ethical choices that you and your like make. Choice of vehicle is indeed a personal choice and that is what makes it all the worse. One would imagine that people who work for the UN have some sort of rudimentary intelligence which I hope would equate with having principles. What do you say to the rest of the world if you choose to have a job that has got to do with helping others and the way you portray yourself is by driving in ostentatious cars in a city full of poor people?
Let me put it very simple to you: it is sort of like those priests that preach all sorts of virtues and then go behind the alter, swig a bottle of whiskey and than tell the altar boy to bend over. Yes, it is his job to preach virtues to us but do you think he should also practice what he preaches. And yes, this applies to our disgusting govt. but no it does not apply to the entire nation. People make choices to make money and some are honest about it and drive big cars because that is what they have been honest enough to say to the world – i;e I am in this for myself. Now do you think that should apply to UN staff.
From the tone of your text, I presume you are one of those cowboy expatriate staff – “mercenary, misfit or missionary” Here to save yourself and feel good because you are helping us ignorant, corrupt useless Africans…but of course you need a 4wd car to keep you safe from all those disgusting little kids on the streets. No, I don’t drive a 4×4. I have a tiny little toyota l touring. But I use an electric alarm clock and I also use a tread mill instead of going for a run so I suspect my carbon emissions are way in line with yours. The only difference is I dont get paid to save the world…
Hubrismachine // March 14, 2009 at 9:49 am |
Hummerfan, thats an interesting point you make. Would you be so kind as to provide us with figures comparing fuel consumption of this yellow pseudo-phallus with other SUV’s?
Nathan, it seems there are two arguments running in parallel. One relating to the choice by a UN employee to have a “non-environmentally friendly” vehicle and another relating to the vast disparity between what UN employees are paid and what the Kenyan on the street is paid. I haven’t seen anyone try to argue that one doesn’t need a 4WD to get around in Kenya.
UN contractor – it an interesting point that you make, questioning who is being accused of hypocrisy – the UN or the employees of the UN? My response to this is that yes, the UN is not to blame for the personal choices of its employees. Unfortunately for both the UN and the phallically-challenged tall employee in this story, the car is branded as a UN car. It represents the UN by virtue of its special number plates. If the bananna-riding imbecile wants to be regarded as a private citizen then he should register his wheels like everyone else, at those long queues in town. and get a number plate that puts him on a par with other Kenyans.
Sukuma, do be careful not to confuse stereotypes with targeted exposing of hypocrisy. there is a fine line between generalising about self-serving expatriates and xenophobia. Just to play devil’s advocate: the fact that you even own a car puts you in a tiny minority of kenyans who can afford that – you are one of the elite. At least you recognise that.
As for my own view? I’m just an ignorant useless african looking for a job. But I will say this: hypocrisy is the worst form of corruption. Sooner or later it would be good to hear from the UN their view of this.
inappropriate uses of banannas « Hubrismachine // March 14, 2009 at 12:39 pm |
[...] uses of banannas Do head over to theatreofinconveniences for some banter about a [...]
FormerUNContractor // March 16, 2009 at 9:37 am |
sukuma:
I am trying to have a reasonable conversation, unfortunately you have chosen to rely on vitriol ,ad-hominem and stereotypes. Let me make one more attempt to have a conversation.
It seems to me your concern isnt really for the environment but more about the morality of someone working for the UN purchasing a 4×4 ?
As I said, the UN is like any other organization or private company — they cannot dictate what kind of vehicale someone may personally wish to purchase. I agree that buying a Humvee in Nairobi is in bad taste — but its bad taste everywhere not just in Nairobi.
The issue of ostentatiousness is really relative – I find many civilian Kenyans driving massive 4×4s, yet I find it strange you are not offended by that at all? So its okay to be ostentatious if you are a Kenyan but not if you work for the UN ? Similarly, I am sure someone without a car in Nairobi could find your toyota corolla ostentatious.
Why don’t you drive a motorcycle instead and be even less ostentatious and friendly to the environment ? I used a motorcycle for a year in Nairobi (I didn’t own a car) and found it ideal for Nairobi.
The other thing I want to mention is – if you look at what UN staff drive in for e.g. Rome, Paris or even New Delhi – you will rarely see them own a 4×4. Why ? Because in these countries it is impractical/too expensive to own a 4×4. I worked in New Delhi for a year — and most UN staff there drive regular cars because most people in New Delhi drive regular cars and the traffic and local taxation makes it very expensive for anyone to own and use a 4×4.
The UN staff driving 4×4s are merely a mirror to your own society.
One the issue of EPA compliant certs : they are nonsensical in the Kenyan context because most 4×4s imported into Kenya by UN Staff and civilians are second-hand – upto 8 years old. I wonder how an 8 year second-hand car can be used to set pollution parameters. Some of these cars would have faced the wrecking ball in their home countries instead they get shipped to 4×4 loving 3rd world countries like Kenya.
–mm
Rafiki // March 19, 2009 at 7:13 pm |
Please, please, FormerUNContracter, the whole issue goes further than the 4×4’s only, it is about wrong priorities and unwise use of resources: http://rafiki-kenya.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-kenyan-atlas-waste-of-resources.html
Vatten till de behövande « Nairobikoll! // March 25, 2009 at 2:52 pm |
[...] Och till sist, ännu en hummer [...]
Nairobian Perspective // March 26, 2009 at 5:19 am |
hi, nice post, that humvee looks cool !im happy to have dropped by your blog, im also following you on twitter, you are welcome to vist my blog and leave a comment…good day!
Osas // March 30, 2009 at 12:48 pm |
Revised version, please post this one:
Rafiki, it shows that you neither read nor listened here, before posting off your cuff. At least you have some interest in Kenyan wines, that is a mitigating circumstance.
1. Hummers are tasteless and vulgar. They are so when driven by Raila Odinga, they are so when driven by white expats.
2. They are definitely not “practical” (that as an brief answer to Nathan’s silly comment: apparently he does not know much about four-wheel-drives).
3. Conspicuous consumption is for Thorstein Veblen.
4. The UNEP does not use that Hummer as a “staff vehicle”, it is a private possession of an employee, bought off his VERY fat personal salary cheque. He could also wear his Hummer’s value on his wrist, where it would be slightly less obvious unless one is quite observant.
5. Vows of powerty are for the religious, and for them they constitute one of the Three Apostolic Counsels; but the said UNEP expert, to the best of my knowledge, is not a monk (or nun).
6. Of course many Kenyans are worse. But that was not the point. The *real* point of the whole ho-hum is that we Kenyans secretly or openly expect wazungu to be “better” than ourselves – but why? I shall call it the Whispers effect.
Osas