Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua on Thursday recalled the last phone call he had with former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.
According to the Machakos County boss, he spoke with Collymore about two weeks before he lost his battle with cancer.
Dr Mutua told members of the press outside the Nairobi Cathedral that he had called Collymore to ask how he was faring.
"I spoke with him when he was in England undergoing treatment and he told me he was recovering and he would be back to Kenya soon. When he came to Kenya, we talked several times and he told me he was recovered. I was shocked to learn that he had died about two weeks after we had spoken. (Niliongea nayeye alipokuwa Uingereza wakati alikuwa akitibiwa akaniambia ako karibu kupona anarudi Kenya. Aliporudi Kenya tuliongea mara kadhaa akaniambia ako sawa. Kwa hivyo mimi nilshtuka kujua ya kwamba wiki mbili tu hivi baada ya sisi kuongea mambo yalienda mrama na ametuacha," said Governor Mutua.
The county boss called on Kenyans to follow the example of working diligently that had been set by the former Safaricom CEO.
He described Collymore as a man who was not interested in retrogressive politics and one who was truthful, hailing the good working relationship he had with him.
Mutua recalled the day when Collymore paid his county a visit and was impressed by the work that the governor had done.