EasyGroup calls for removal of Fastjet Chairman Colin Child

(Reuters) - African budget airline Fastjet Plc's second-largest shareholder, easyGroup Holdings Ltd, asked the company to call for a general meeting seeking the removal of Chairman Colin Child.

EasyGroup, controlled by Stelios Haji-Ioannou, said it had lost faith in Child, who was appointed chairman in September, as he had failed to appoint a new CEO and relocate the airline's head office from Gatwick to Tanzania.

Fastjet announced in March the departure of Chief Executive Ed Winter, bowing to pressure from easyGroup, which holds a 12.6 percent stake.

Easygroup, in a letter made public on Friday, told the board that if Child is voted off the board, the company should promote internally someone who is based in Dar-es-Salaam to be acting CEO and appoint director Rob Burnham as interim chairman.

Fastjet said it would make further announcement regarding the proposed general meeting in due course.

Haji-Ioannou, best known as the founder of Europe's easyJet Plc, has over the past few months criticised Fastjet for having a high cost base. He has also threatened to take back the brand.

(Reporting by Rahul B in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian)