Robert Collymore, Safaricom CEO, to step down in August for health reasons

Sources disclosed to Reuters on Monday, Collymore has now indicated he wants to step down after taking 9-month medical leave in late 2017 to battle cancer.

“He wants to concentrate on his health so he did not wish to renew his contract,” Reuters quoted a source who preferred to remain anonymous.

The Safaricom head also confirmed that he is currently in talks with the board and official position about his role as CEO will be announced at a later date.

Safaricom Headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi Safaricom Headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi ece-auto-gen

“I have every confidence that whether I’m here or not, that this company will run … This is an institution. It is not a company which is just run by a single person,” he told Reuters.

The battle for Collymore’s successor begins

According to reports, the Board of Safaricom has conducted interviews for some candidates including a Kenyan top banking executive before settling for a foreign national. A move the government kicked against citing an earlier agreement supporting the appointment of a local as next CEO.

Joe Mucheru, Kenya's ICT minister, said no formal communication on Collymore’s successor yet.