Nairobi News

Having been the CEO of one of the biggest telecommunications companies in Africa for the past 12 years, Bob Collymore was a hugely influential public figure in Kenya.

Other than being the captain industry in the most profitable telco in the region, Collymore was a role model, who motivated many Kenyans through the numerous speeches and interviews he gave.

Here are some of the most memorable quotes Collymore will be remembered for:

1. On pursuing success – “If you have the right vision, and you take the right steps, then success is inevitable.”

2. On his personal drive – “What is my personal drive? Trying to make a difference and leaving a positive footprint.”

3. On what he wanted in his 40s – “I was always clear that I wanted a bigger car and a bigger house, like most people, really. I wanted these things because they show status but at some point, I must have been 45-years, these things changed. I started asking what do I want to do and why?

4. On his battle with cancer – “Death is inevitable and I have made the decision not to cling on the thought of it because it will eventually come; I just do not know when. I have chosen to focus on the things that are more important to me. Now I know it’s kind of impossible for somebody to live for 200 years.”

5. On how the ailment changed his life view – “You do not always have the last word on something and you do not always have to be the first person to say something. Just shut up and listen and do not have to always say anything. When you spend a lot of time on your own, you realise that silence actually is a pretty good thing.”