Kenya Marks Bob Collymore’s Passing

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore was cremated on Tuesday at Karikor cemetery in Nairobi after he passed following a long battle with acute myeloid leukemia, a rare form of cancer.

The ceremony at the Hindu crematorium was for invited guests only, despite huge crowds turning up to witness the event. However, there will be a memorial service for the public on Thursday at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. During the service all Safaricom shops will be closed.

Tributes for the high profile business leader have poured in from home and abroad with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta stating, “Although Bob Collymore has left us, his inspirational life will remain a great legacy, not just to Kenyans, but also to the whole world.”

Collymore was appointed CEO of Safaricom in 2010. The firm is the most profitable company in the region and Collymore. In addition to the firm’s success growing its subscriber base from 17 million to 30 million under Collymore, he will also be remembered for his strong promotion of gender equality in the workplace, with almost 50 per cent of staff at the firm being women and Collymore overseeing the introduction of various family friendly facilities for his employees.