This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
July 1, 2019, marked a sad day for Kenya as Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore passed away at his home in Nairobi.
Collymore had been undergoing treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia since 2017, when he traveled to the UK for treatment.
He returned to Kenya in July 2018 and resumed his duties as CEO, but his condition worsened in recent weeks, leading to his untimely death.
"He has been undergoing treatment for this condition since then in different hospitals and most recently at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi," a statement from Safaricom said.
Collymore leaves behind a wife and four children, and his death has sent shockwaves across the nation.
"On behalf of the board of SAFARICOM PLC, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, staff, partners and the nation at large who he served selflessly and with joy," Safaricom chairman Nicholas Nganaga said.
Collymore's battle with cancer was well-documented, and he had shared his story with the public in a series of interviews.
"I use to get tired and have high temperatures from time to time. It got so bad that I could not make it to company events," he said in an interview last year.
Collymore's death is a significant loss to Kenya and the business community, and he will be remembered for his contributions to the country's economic growth.
