Ndindi Nyoro Buys KES 20 M Worth of Shares in TransCentury

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has purchased 20 million shares in infrastructure company TransCentury Plc, placing him fourth among the top shareholders of the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)-listed firm.

Mr Nyoro’s ownership, amounting to a 1.77 percent stake currently worth Sh8.6 million, appeared in February 2024 regulatory filings seen by this publication.

He ranks behind private equity firm Kuramo, Anne Pearl Karimi Gachui and former taxman Michael Gitau Waweru — TransCentury’s top three shareholders as of the end of last month.

The purchase of TransCentury’s shares marked the MP’s expansion of his portfolio at the NSE where he has focused on low-priced counters. The infrastructure firm’s share price closed trading at 43 cents on Wednesday.

In June last year, the lawmaker’s Sh51.35 million stake in Kenya Power was revealed, comprising 32.5 million shares at the then prevailing price of Sh1.58.

Mr Nyoro’s stake in Kenya Power had, however, declined to 20.72 million shares following the sale of 11.78 million shares by the end of December 2023.

The lawmaker’s increased stake in TransCentury is likely from a combination of his participation in the firm’s recent rights issue and the purchase of the company’s shares in the open market.

On December 29, 2022, the infrastructure firm opened a rights issue in which it offered five new shares for every one share held with the goal of raising up to Sh2 billion to unlock new working capital.

Majority shareholder Kuram, leveraged the rights issue to lift its stake in TransCentury to 835.3 million shares or ownership of 74 percent as of the end of February 2024, compared to a stake of 25 percent or 93.7 million shares as of October 27, 2022.

Kuramo partially paid for its share of the rights issue through the conversion of its shareholder loan in the company to equity.

TransCentury’s ownership structure has seen a considerable shakeup post-rights issue including the entry of new significant holders and the partial dilution of some shareholders.

Michael Gitau Waweru’s stake in the company has for instance eased to 1.89 percent from six percent previously despite his holdings of the firm’s shares remaining unchanged at 21.3 million shares.

Ephraim Kariithi Njogu has meanwhile joined Ndindi Nyoro as a top shareholder with 12.5 million shares representing a 1.11 percent stake in the firm.

Read: Ndindi Nyoro sells Sh16.5 million stake in Kenya Power

TransCentury has 1.1 billion issued shares following the rights issue from 375.2 million shares previously.

Local individual investors hold a 20.36 percent stake in the manufacturer.

Other top local individual investors in the firm include Peter Tiras Kanyago, Gitau Zephaniah Mbugua, Robin Munyua Kimotho, Stephen Njoroge Waruhiu, Edward Njoroge and Joseph Mbui Magari.

TransCentury has been fighting to prevent its takeover by Equity Bank over a Sh4.5 billion ($34.3 million) debt over the past year.

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