Albert Karakacha,president matatu owners association stated today in a press conference that the finance bill will hinder the progress of the matatu sector.The association which is one of the largest in the country has requested the government to sit down with them to discuss the controversial bill.

Mr Karakacha stated,”We are not supporting the finance bill.We are paying taxes from the fuel levy and other areas.We are already heavily burdened when it comes to taxes and the bill is not supporting the matatu sector or easing our burdens.”

He added,”We are facing other challenges.We want to tame corruption among other vices in the industry.Interest rates are at 24percent,an all time high.We have decided to bring together all the saccos countrywide.We are a 500million industry.We can pull our resources together,loan ourselves money and regulate our own interest rates .We can support ourselves with loans instead of relying on banks.”

The association asked the government to look out for the ordinary mwananchi during this hard economic period by reducing taxes and not implementing the finance bill.