This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
July 1, 2019, marked the passing of Bob Collymore, the CEO of Safaricom since 2010. While his name is synonymous with the company's huge profits, few know about his softer side.
Collymore was a family man who had been married three times. In an interview, he shared his thoughts on marriage, saying, “Each time it’s got better. Each time the match has been better. I never set out to remarry, I think I just met someone who, someone I think I can spend the rest of my life with because we care for each other.”
He married Wambui Kamiru in 2016 and became a stepfather to her two children. Collymore also had two other children from a previous marriage, with whom he remained close despite their parents' divorce.
As a parent, Collymore's perspective on life changed. He realized that material possessions, such as a bigger car and house, were not as important as his children's happiness. He said, “My son had just finished school and I thought, ‘what’s important to me now?’ and at that time it was my son’s happiness. But was the car I was driving going to guarantee his happiness?”
Collymore was instrumental in setting up various social initiatives, including those aimed at improving the lives of cancer children at Kenyatta National Hospital. He also adopted his daughter, who was 50 years younger than him, and considered this a significant accomplishment in his 50s.
Bob Collymore leaves behind a legacy of not only a successful business but a man who believed in the power of family and giving back to the community.
