CHAIRMAN'S PROFILE

DR. DANIEL.W. ICHANG'I

Current Position: Chairman of the APSEA Council

Name of Organisation: Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA)

Profession: Economic Geologist

Nationality: Kenyan

Marital Status: Married

Membership of professional

Societies: R. Geol. (Registered Geologist by the Geologists Registration Board, Government of Republic of Kenya).

FGSK. (Fellow of the Geological Society of Kenya).

Chairman of the Council of the Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA).

APSEA’s Mandate:

APSEA offers a platform for linkages with professionals within Kenya, the region and internationally as well. APSEA has been admitted as a member of the Professional Associations Research Network (PARN), a UK based member led organization that provides an enriched network for professional associations and regulating bodies in the UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. This offers APSEA members specialist knowledge-based services and events on subjects such as Continuous Professional Development and Education (CPD/CPE) programmes, governance, ethics and standards.

Dr. Daniel Weru Ichang’i has over 30 years of professional experience. This experience is in the challenging and versatile field of Economic Geology, specifically Geology of Mineral and Energy Resources, where he has a solid footing in Teaching and Research at University of Nairobi, and also in matters of Leadership and Administration of Professional Organizations in various professional capacities.

In the field of Economic Geology on the one hand, Dr. Ichang’i’s core professional and research interests, which he pursues to this day, include economic geology, stratigraphy and geochemistry of Archean Cratons in Eastern and Central Africa; Gold, Massive Sulphide, and Diamond mineralization in the East African (Tanzanian) Craton and in the Nyanza-Western Kenya Greenstone Belt. He has researched on the Geology, Geochemistry and Economic Mineral Potential of the Migori Segment in particular; and has interest in the assessment of similar mineralization in adjacent regions of the High Grade Proterozoic Mobile Belts surrounding the East African (Tanzanian) Craton, with special reference to the portions of the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Mobile Belt in Kenya.

Dr. Ichang’i is also regarded as a leading Kenyan expert on the Geology of Gemstones, and Industrial Rocks and Minerals in this highly specialized field. Further, other core research interests include the Geology of the Copper-Lead‑Zinc-Silver Sulphide, the Heavy Mineral Titanium Bearing Sand, and Iron Ore Deposits in the Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks on the Kenya Coast, Eastern Kenya and elsewhere in the country. Dr. Ichang’i also has what are turning out to be new exciting research interests in the Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Geological Potential of Precious, Base and "High Technology" Groups of Metal, including Rare Earth Elements, in Neogene Rocks and Epithermal Precipitates of active geothermal areas in Kenya. Dr. Ichang’i has been involved in the many efforts to review the outdated 1940 Kenya mining law, many of these efforts taking place prior to the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

The second area of continuing and developing interest for Dr. Ichang’i is the geology of energy resources in Kenya. Dr. Ichang’i has had research interests and carried out work touching on Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He was one of the initiators of the efforts to claim extra maritime territory for Kenya that culminated in the formation of the Kenya Government Task Force on Delineation of Kenya’s Outer Continental Shelf Area beyond 200 Nautical Miles under the Cabinet Office, Office of the President. He was a gazetted member of this Task Force between 2005 and 2009 representing the University of Nairobi. Dr. Ichang’i continues to focus his efforts on geological reinterpretation of Kenya’s Onshore and Offshore Basins and on Kenya’s inner and outer continental shelf areas which have very significant implications on the potential for oil, gas, coal, uranium, geothermal, and other energy resources, including renewable energy resources.

Dr. Ichang’i has also been actively involved as a Registered Professional Geologist in Environmental Disaster Assessment and Management in Kenya with special emphasis on Landslides in Central Kenya. He has also participated in broad assessment of Hydrogeology and Groundwater Resources of various geological terranes in Kenya. Regional Development in Kenya and in Eastern and Central Africa centred on sustainable utilization of Geological Natural Mineral and Energy Resources continues to be the focus and direction of Dr. Ichang’i technical professional pursuits.

In the world of Academia, Dr. Ichang’i has worked, taught, and researched for over thirty (30) years in the Department of Geology, University of Nairobi. His journey into Geology began with the pursuit of his B.Sc. Degree in Geology & Chemistry which he obtained with First Class Honours in 1979 at the top of his class. He was immediately granted a German Government Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarship and a James Brown MacMillan Memorial Fund Grant to pursue postgraduate M.Sc. studies at the University of Nairobi. He was employed first as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Geology, University of Nairobi in 1982 while pursuing his postgraduate Masters Degree studies. He successfully completed his very challenging studies and graduated with a M.Sc. Degree in Geology in 1984.

Dr. Ichang’i then undertook his Doctoral Studies at the then Department of Geological Sciences (now Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences), at the world-renowned McGill University, Montreal, Canada, from 1986 to 1990 through a Kenya Government General Training Fund (GTF) – Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Scholarship. Dr. Ichang’i’s Ph.D. Doctoral Studies specialising on the Geology, Geochemistry and Economic Mineral Potential of the Migori Segment of the Archean Nyanza Greenstone Belt of Kenya were undertaken at McGill University, under the direct supervision of the world-leading Prof. Wallace H. MacLean. Dr. Ichang’i successfully completed his Doctoral Programme and graduated with a Ph.D. Degree from McGill in 1991.

Since then, Dr. Ichang’i has himself taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the University of Nairobi, as well as trained leading Geologists, Architects, Land and Building Economists, Designers, Engineers and Consultants, many of whom are leaders in their areas of specialisation. The courses taught by Dr. Ichang’i over the years include Systematic Mineralogy; Ore Deposits, Industrial Rocks and Minerals; Geology and Mineral Resources of Kenya; Geological Field Mapping; Economic Mineral Deposits; Metallogeny, Metallogenic Epochs, and Provinces; Research Methodology; and Physical Environment in Geology for Architecture, Land and Building Economics and Design Students. He has been awarded various scholarships, travel and research grants in pursuit of interests in the above mentioned areas.

In the area of Leadership and Administration of Professional Organizations, Dr. Ichang’i has been an active and prominent leader in various professional capacities. He has pursued selfless, active, ethical and result-oriented participation of professions in the life and well being of this Nation for over fifteen (15) years. His organizational acumen and leadership skills have seen him lead the Geological Society of Kenya (GSK), first as Vice-Chairman (1999-2003) and then as Chairman (GSK) (2003-2007). He also served as a Member of the Geologists Registration Board (GRB) from 2002 to 2007. As representative of GSK to the umbrella Association of Professional Societies in East Africa (APSEA), his visible and constructive contribution towards promoting professionalism made him rise through the ranks from Member of APSEA Council (2002-2003), through to the position of Second Vice-Chairman (2003-2004), then Senior Vice-Chairman (2004-2007), to Chairman of the APSEA Council (2007-Present).

Dr. Ichang’i believes in Constitutionalism and since 1999 as a Leader of Professional Organizations has participated in all the stages where GSK and APSEA have been involved as organizations in the struggle for a new, people driven Constitution of Kenya which was eventually promulgated on 27th August 2010. Dr. Ichang’i is the twenty third Chairman/President of APSEA since this organisation was formed in 1961 and has held this position continuously and enjoyed the confidence of his peers for the longest time amongst all those who have served as APSEA Chairman/President of five years and eight months. He will relinquish his position as Chairman, APSEA Council during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the end of May 2013. In all these Professional Leadership Positions both in GSK and APSEA, Dr. Ichang’i has served pro bono/without pay, giving his service freely to promote causes he believes in.

Recognition of his contribution has seen Dr. Ichang’i appointed Chairman of the Selection Panel on the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) (2008), which resulted in the successful nomination of fifteen (15) persons that were considered for appointment as TJRC Commissioners. More recently in 2012, Dr. Ichang’i also chaired the Selection Panel for the National Land Commission (NLC). He has also been a Member of the National Anti Corruption Plan (NACP) Coordinating Committee (2009 – Present) and convenes the Professionals’ Sector at the Kenya Integrity Forum hosted by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC). Dr. Ichang’i in his capacity as Chairman, APSEA has also served as a Member of the Board of Governors of the then Kenya Global Development Learning Centre (KDLC) now under the Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya (2008 – 2012).

In 2008, in further recognition of Dr. Ichang’i’s professional efforts and contribution to the Nation, the then President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, His Excellency, the Hon. Mwai Kibaki, C.G.H., M.P., bestowed the National Honour of Order of the Grand Warrior (O.G.W.) on him. Further, on 25th March 2011, in a special recognition of Dr. Ichang’i’s contribution to the Geological Profession in Kenya, the Geological Society of Kenya honoured him and bestowed on him the title “Fellow of the Geological Society of Kenya (FGSK)”. Dr. Daniel Weru Ichang’i has worked in Kenya and has visited Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, South Sudan, Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa, Canada, France, Russia and Australia in pursuit of his professional and technical duties.

Dr. Ichang’i has taken a very keen and active interest and participated in many fora that promote Good Governance, Professionalism, and Sustainable Management of Kenya’s Natural Resources. Judging by his track record, we at APSEA are assured that Dr. Ichang’i will continue to play his part as a leading professional and will continue to contribute to the transformation of Kenya into a Modern, Democratic, Knowledge-Driven Nation-State, based on the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Rule of Law and Visionary Leadership at all levels