“Sorry about this, it shouldn’t be your experience. Please give us a chance to fix it, you won’t regret it. Can you DM (Direct Message) your details to @Safaricom_Care (Safaricom Customercare).” This was Bob Collymore’s last tweet, sent out at 11:40 AM on 29th Jun 2019.
This was in response to a Safaricom customer’s tweet, a one Duncan Ng’enda who just a few hours before at 9:32 AM on 29th June 2019 had posted, complaining about a “substandard user experience.”
Minutes before responding to Duncan’s tweet, Collymore had just tweeted about signing onto ONE Global Movement and female rapper Black Queen SN’s campaign to end sexual violence in Senegal.
“I’ve signed @BlackQueenSN and @ONECampaign’s petition to demand the criminalisation of rape in Senegal. Together, we can put an end to gender-based violence,” he proudly tweeted, at 11:36 AM.
A couple of hours later, he would breathe his last.
Collymore’s death was confirmed by Safaricom’s Board Chairman, Nicholas Nganga in a statement.
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing away of Robert (Bob) William Collymore CEO of SAFARICOM PLC, which occurred at his home on the morning of 1st July 2019.”
“In October, Bob proceeded to the UK to receive treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and returned in July 2018 to resume duties. He has been undergoing treatment for this condition since then in different hospitals and most recently at Aga Khan University in Nairobi. In recent weeks, his condition worsened and succumbed to cancer at his home in the early hours of Monday 1st July 2019. Bob leaves behind a wife and four children,” said Nganga.
Collymore’s last tweets, even in his last moments show the man he was in real life- a prolific business leader who led years of growth at Safaricom and a humanistic person who championed several causes.
Born in Guyana, at the age of 16, he moved to the United Kingdom with his mother. After school after a couple of placements, he joined the telecoms industry. He entered Vodafone Group, as a Handset Purchasing Director in December 1998 and for 7 and a half years, he worked rose through the ranks, becoming Marketing Director, Asia in April 2003. He in September 2006 became the Governance Director for Vodafone in Africa till February 2009 when he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer for Vodacom- a 50/50 partnership by South Africa’s Telkom Vodafone.
In September 2010 he became Safaricom CEO, replacing Michael Joseph, the founding CEO who was retiring.
During his time- Safaricom gross revenues grew from the KShs83.96 billion he inherited in 2010 to KShs250.96 in March 2019- a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15%. Profit grew even faster – from KShs15.2 billion to KShs63.4 billion at end of March 2019- CAGR of 201%. Customers also grew from 15.8 million that he inherited to 31.3 million, translating into CAGR of 9%.
Collymore married Wambui Kamiru, on 2 April 2016. He is said to have met Kamiru in Nairobi during a fundraiser for survivors of the Loreto Convent Msongari school bus crash that occurred in July 2011. Wambui was part of the event in her capacity as an alumnus and Collymore was there representing Safaricom Foundation.
Such was the interconnectedness between his work life and giving back to community.
For his business and charity work, Collymore was in 2012 one of the recipients of the Moran of Burning Spear, one of the orders, awarded by the President of Kenya “in recognition of outstanding or distinguished services rendered to the nation in various capacities and responsibilities.”
He has also been previously named as CEO of the Year (2017) and International Business Leader (2016) by the African Investor Magazine.
Collymore mourned by the world
Since his demise was announced, several eulogies and condolence messages have begun pouring in- from among others, H.E Uhuru Kenya, the Kenyan President and Raila Odinga one of Kenya’s most prominent politicians.
Businessman, Chris Kirubi has also added his voice to leaders and other Africans mourning Collymore.