Safaricom’s official stand on replacement of Bob Collymor

By Vincent Kejitan

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore

SUMMARY The board maintained that it has a robust recruitment process in place that adheres to global best practice in identifying and appointing their senior leadership team
Safaricom is one of the most profitable companies in East Africa due to its numerous services, key among them being mobile money transfer service M-Pesa

Telecommunications giant Safaricom has come out to clear the air regarding reports that current CEO Bob Collymore is set to step down in August.
According to an official statement by the company’s chairman Nicholas Ng’ang’a, Safaricom is yet to make a decision on the matter and once it does, it will be communicated in good time. ​
“At the onset, I would like to state that the Safaricom PLC Board has not made a decision on the matter. This will be subject of deliberation by the Board and once a decision is made it will be communicated at the appropriate time,” read the statement in part.


Further, the board maintained that it has a robust recruitment process in place that adheres to global best practice in identifying and appointing their senior leadership team.
On Collymore’s health, Ng’ang’a stated that the board is encouraged by his quick recovery and he remains firmly in charge.
Safaricom is one of the most profitable companies in East Africa due to its numerous services, key among them being mobile money transfer service M-Pesa.
In 2018, Collymore opened up on his battle with cancer and said that by the time it was diagnosed, doctors told him he had it for six months.
I went to London and they told me I had acute myeloid leukaemia- a rare kind of blood cancer that is curable.
“I was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told me at the time that I had probably had it for about 6 months,” he revealed.
Collymore further stated that other employees would access the same kind of treatment as it is not just meant for the elite.


“If I were not CEO at Safaricom, if I worked at the call centre for instance, I would get the same medical access. I have 6 colleagues currently undergoing cancer treatment,” he said.
The CEO was also grateful to his wife Wambui Kamiru saying she made great sacrifices when he was unwell.
He added that during his treatment, he took time to reflect on Kenyans who could not afford cancer treatment and it saddened him.
“I had time to reflect while I was away, about that Kenyan who cannot afford such health care, whose cancer diagnosis comes when the disease has advanced in their body,” he stated.