Political sources say that the fifth Executive President Mahinda Rajapaksa will vacate his official residence in Wijerama today or tomorrow. This is because the official residences provided to former presidents have to be handed over to the government as per the provisions of the “Presidents’ Disqualification Act” passed in Parliament yesterday.
Former presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga are already using government official residences and according to the Presidents’ Disqualification Act passed yesterday, they will have to hand over their official residences. Accordingly, it is reported that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to move to Carlton House in Tangalle today. Although his friends tried to provide him with a house in Colombo due to health reasons, it was unsuccessful.
In addition, former presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga are also scheduled to hand over their official residences to the government.
From the effective date of the new Act, any housing provided to a former President or the widow of a former President, any monthly allowance paid, the monthly secretarial allowance and official transport and all other facilities, as well as the monthly pension paid to the widow, will be forfeited.