The recently outgone Chief Professional: Professional Services Dr Stanley Gichia
This up and close edition features one of our well-respected Chief Professional, Dr Stanley Gichia who is an Architect by profession. He was officially due for retirement on the 29 February 2024 after serving in the KZN Department of Public Works for 15 years. Our dedicated Newsflash Paparazzi, Hlengiwe Mkhize had a rare privilege of directly interacting with him.
Dr Gichia hails from the slopes of Mount Kenya in a city called Mombasa. According to him, this is where he attended his Primary and High School education back in the days before pursuing his tertiary education with the University of Nairobi where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in Architecture (B. Arch) in 1985.
As a qualified Architect, from October 1985 to May 1996, he was employed by the then National Department of Public Works, now Ministry of Public Works in Nairobi, Kenya. He later joined the Harare-based Zimbabwean Public Ministry of Construction and Housing where he served as an Architect for 5 years.
In August 2001, he enrolled for a Master’s Degree with the Wits University. He continued his journey to Botswana where and worked at the University of Botswana as an Architecture Lecturer for two-and-a-half years. From 2008 to 2018, he was appointed by the former Public Works Department, now KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works in the capacity of an Architect in the Southern Region. In April 2019, the occupational upward mobility stepladder elevated him to the position of a Chief Architect located in the Head Office, Pietermaritzburg. In 2014, Dr Gichia was appointed as a Chief Architect responsible for the then Major Projects Management component, now dubbed the Professional Services Directorate. From 2015 to February 2024, his career trajectory landed him in the position of a Chief Professional: Professional Services in which he served all the way to his retirement, as he officially exited the system in February 2024.
Dr Stanley Gichia saying goodbye to his Personal Assistant Ms Nontobeko Gcabashe
According to him, he enjoyed his tenure with the Department and confessed to have reached a significant milestone in his academic career, citing professional growth and reputable academic credentials as fundamental highlights of his memorable journey with the Department.
By extension, such notable developments boosted his prowess to develop an Internship Programme for Architects which has, to date, seen atleast 20 of them being registered as Professional Architects. Dr Gichia, a seasoned Architect says as he leaves the Department, a looming Departmental skills development training programme in the pipeline. He states that, the programme is aimed at equipping recruits within the relevant sector with skills on how to manage budget, develop impressive high quality infrastructure and new structural procedures which include conflict and anger management. This also includes establishment of an Architectural Design Office which will be launched in due course.
He alluded to the fact that, an Architect never resigns as he intends to render his services when a need arises in the field of academic research in Universities and related academic institutions.
Article and Images by Hlengiwe Dlamini