This is the company that allegedly can't get overdraft facilities ..... paying 6billion in a single transaction - business is about value, not about cash - cash follows value.... Brian Begin forwarded message:

From: "Chifu" <chifu2222@msn.com> Date: 22 September 2005 05:37:29 GMT+03:00 To: DigAfrica@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DigAfrica] Econet buys back Sh6b stake from partner Reply-To: DigAfrica@yahoogroups.com

Econet buys back Sh6b stake from partner By Bryan Mbugua

Econet Wireless Group (EWG) yesterday paid Allied Technologies Group (Altech) over Sh6 billion to acquire back 50 per cent shareholding in Botswana-incorporated Econet Wireless Global.

The buyout was made ahead of the payment deadline that was due on October.

In a statement, Econet Group Chief Executive Officer Strive Masiyiwa said the group had decided to make full payment in advance to enable the business function normally and to begin implementing its expansion programmes.

Masiyiwa said following the payment, Econet will reconstitute its board of directors to focus on a number of projects of projects in the pipeline.

Econonet Wireless Kenya, a subsidiary of Zimbabwean Econet Wireless Group, won the bid to roll out the third mobile network in Kenya, but its launch has been locked in wrangles between shareholders.

Altech, a South African company also listed on Johannesburg Stock Exchange, bought half ownership of Econonet Wireless Group last November for about Sh5 billion.

However, fallout among the shareholders led Econet to opt for an out-of-court settlement over the disputed Botswana operations.

Earlier, Altech had applied to the High Court in Botswana to wind up the Econonet Wireless Group.

In the application, Altech had sought to either buy out original Econet shareholders, including the family of CEO Strive Masiyiwa, or sell its stake to them for about Sh7.5 billion, incase its winding up application failed.

"Although the settlement agreement between the parties only required Econet to come up with a bank guarantee by September 20, and make final payment by the end of October, the company decided to make full payment in advance," Masiyiwa said. Econet Wireless Global would continue to operate as a Botswana-based wholly-owned subsidiary of the group.

"Econet Wireless Group today completed its payment to Altech for its 50 per cent stake in Econet Wireless Global.

"This will enable the business to function normally and begin to implement its own expansion programmes.

An early settlement also allows us to reconstitute the board and also complete some of the projects in the pipeline. Now that we have paid Altech, their directors on our board have also resigned and we can now replace them which is important for our corporate governance," he said.

Masiyiwa said the group would continue with its expansion programme in the telecommunications sector and with the arbitration process in Nigeria to increase its stake in Vee Mobile, formerly Econet Wireless Nigeria.

Source: http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=29262

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