This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
On October 30, 2017, Safaricom announced that its CEO, Robert (Bob) Collymore, was taking a lengthy medical leave due to a serious illness. The company stopped short of divulging details about the nature of his illness, but all indicators pointed to a serious condition.
Collymore's leave lasted nine months, during which he sought treatment in London, UK. He revealed details of his battle with cancer through a video link from London in May 2018, during the results briefing for the financial year ending March.
For about two years before his demise, Collymore suffered from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. He returned to work at Safaricom in July 2018, after a lengthy medical leave.
Collymore becomes the latest renowned person to succumb to Leukemia, a type of cancer that claimed about 1,311 Kenyans in 2017, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
“Bob was very brave in telling the country what he was going through. It’s not easy to reveal such personal details, but Bob did it. He fought this cancer with great courage, with everything he had, and he continued to give leadership to the company, for which we are truly grateful,” said Safaricom Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nicholas Nganga.
