This archive report was first published on 4 July 2019.
On Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta joined family, friends, and top business executives at a memorial service for Safaricom CEO Robert Collymore at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.
Speaking at the service, President Kenyatta said Kenya has lost part of its 'soul' through the death of the late Collymore, who died of leukemia on Monday and was cremated.
“Bob loved Kenya as his own country. He loved Safaricom as his own company. We have lost part of our soul,” President Kenyatta said.
President Kenyatta also remembered a three-hour meeting he had with Collymore, where they discussed various issues, including the President's legacy and the fight against corruption.
Collymore, who served as Safaricom CEO for nine years, had spoken of his premonition with destiny, saying he had just weeks to live during the meeting.
The memorial service was attended by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and other business leaders who saluted Collymore as a humble, honest, and transformative leader.
Collymore's tenure at Safaricom saw the company double its clientele from 15 million users in 2010 to over 32 million in 2019, with the telco's annual returns, dividends, taxes, and other obligations more than doubling during the same period.
