Maithripala Sirisena has been sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new president following a bitter election that saw the surprise ousting of leader Mahinda Rajapakse after a decade in power.
Sirisena and his new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe both took the oath of office in Colombo’s Independence Square on Friday hours after Rajapakse conceded defeat, in what is being touted as one of the most peaceful in the island’s history.
The election was dominated by charges of corruption and growing authoritarianism against Rajapakse, who rewrote the constitution after his re-election in 2010 to remove the two-term limit on the presidency and give himself more powers over public servants and judges.
Sirisena said on Friday after taking the oath of office that Sri Lanka, which fell out with the West over allegations of wartime rights abuses, will mend its ties with the international community.
“We will have a foreign policy that will mend our ties with the international community and all international organisations in order that we derive maximum benefit for our people,” he said.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Rajapakse conceded defeat in an election he had been widely predicted to win before Sirisena, a member of his own party, defected to run against him.
“The president met with former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning,” Rajapaksa’s press secretary, Vijayananda Herath, told AFP hnews agency.
The president concedes defeat and will ensure a smooth transition of power bowing to the wishes of the people.”