Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore has died after a long battle with cancer. Collymore passed away at his home on Monday morning aged 61, and leaves behind a wife and four children.
According to a statement from Safaricom, Collymore was undergoing treatment for the Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at Aga Khan University Hospital in Kenya, after seeking treatment in the UK. He came back in July 2018 to resume duties. However, his condition worsened in recent weeks leading to his demise.
Condolences poured in from Kenyans, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, “As a country we’ve lost a distinguished corporate leader whose contribution to our national well being will be missed,” he said. Deputy President William Ruto termed him as a corporate titan whose shrewd leadership at Safaricom was commendable, adding that he steered the Company to new heights and contributed immensely to the evolution of Kenya’s corporate scene.