Kenya mourns the death of telecoms giant Bob Collymore

Kenyans are mourning the death of one of their greatest business leaders, who died of cancer on Monday aged 61, but whose remarkable achievements will linger forever.

Bob Collymore, the late Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom, the leading communications company in Kenya, steered the company to a diversified growth path with a keen focus on innovation.

Under his leadership in almost nine years, Safaricom's net profit grew four-fold, from Ksh15 billion ($146 million) to Ksh63.4 billion ($616 million). M-Pesa customers increased from 8 million to 26 million, while the overall customer base grew from under 16 million to 32 million.

Under his leadership, over 6,700 kilometers of fiber was rolled out, connecting 3,000 homes.

Collymore not only focused on growing the company, but also was passionate about transforming lives. He empowered women in entrepreneurship and employed more women than men, at 51 percent.

Unlike most of the companies, Safaricom offers mothers four months maternity leave and flexible working hours after they resume work.

Prior to being appointed the CEO, Collymore had served in the firm's board for five years. He had also worked as governance director for Africa at Vodafone.

Collymore was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2017 and sought treatment in London. He resumed duties in July 2018.

Since then, he has been undergoing treatment for the condition in different hospitals with the most recently Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.

"It is a very sad day for us, it's not what we have been expecting but we have to accept reality," Nicholas Ng'ang'a, the board chairman of Safaricom said in a press conference to officially break the sad news.

Ng'ang'a said Collymore had fought the cancer with great courage. "All that time he has continued to give leadership from his house, it has been two years. He knew what was going to happen and he was ready," he said.

Tributes have been sent since Monday by political leaders and distinguished personalities across the country.

Uhuru Kenyatta, the president of Kenya said the country has lost a corporate leader whose contribution to the national well being will be missed.

William Ruto, the deputy president of Kenya said Collymore was a distinguished corporate titan, whose shrewd leadership at the helm of Safaricom was commendable.

"He steered the company to new heights and contributed immensely to the evolution of Kenya's corporate scene," he said.

Raila Odinga, Kenya's former prime minister said Collymore served the country with dedication and sustained it as a communication hub in Africa.

Dr. Alfred Mutua, the governor of Machakos County, said Collymore was a wonderful friend, brilliant strategist and a fighter. "I really thought he would pull through," he said.

Collymore was born in Guyana, South America, and raised by his grandparents, before joining his mother in the United Kingdom at the age of 16.

He attended Selhurst High School, after which he was offered a place at Warwick University, but turned it down because he was ineligible for funding.

From 1993 Collymore worked in various positions in the telecommunications industry in the United Kingdom, including Cellnet, Dixons Retail and Vodafone UK.

He moved to Japan in 2003 to manage the integration of J-Phone into the Vodafone Group. Three years later, he became the governance director for Africa at Vodafone and its subsidiary Safaricom, before being appointed the Safaricom's CEO.