Government Accused of Breaking Election Promises as Corruption Investigations Face Criticism

Opposition Criticises Government’s Record

The government has been accused of failing to fulfil its election promises, with a political speaker arguing that public-sector employees, graduates and young people were misled during the campaign.

The speaker questioned what tangible improvements the government had delivered, challenging officials to identify projects that had expanded access to drinking water or improved essential public services.

According to the speaker, the government had spent too much time making promises and issuing statements without demonstrating sufficient progress on the ground.

Questions Over Anti-Corruption Promises

The speech also criticised the government’s handling of corruption investigations involving politicians and former leaders.

The speaker recalled campaign promises to investigate alleged corruption, referring to claims that authorities possessed extensive files and detailed information about financial transactions, properties and hotels allegedly linked to political figures.

The speaker questioned why investigations had continued for years without the outcomes that supporters had expected. The remarks also referred to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and alleged evidence involving financial transactions and assets.

However, the speech did not provide documents or independently verified evidence establishing the allegations. The existence of an investigation or the questioning of a political figure does not, by itself, prove wrongdoing.

Debate Over the Government’s Electoral Mandate

The speaker also challenged the government to remember that electoral support does not remove its obligation to remain accountable to the public.

The speech criticised the gap between campaign messaging and the performance of elected representatives, using the government’s earlier promise to bring a new and more capable group of politicians into Parliament as an example.

The speaker argued that voters who supported political change should be able to judge the government by its conduct and achievements rather than its promises alone.

Official election results, however, show that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake received 5,740,179 votes in the 2024 presidential election, while the National People’s Power (NPP) won 6,863,186 votes and secured 159 seats in the November 2024 parliamentary election. The NPP therefore obtained a two-thirds parliamentary majority, although the speaker’s broader argument was that electoral victory should not be treated as a licence to govern without accountability. Sources: Election Commission of Sri Lanka and Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Expectations for Parliament

The speaker also criticised the quality and conduct of some newly elected representatives, questioning whether the promise of bringing a different political culture into Parliament had been fulfilled.

The remarks reflected frustration among voters who expected greater transparency, accountability and improvements in public services after the change of government.

Accountability Remains the Central Issue

The speech concluded with a broader challenge to the government: demonstrate measurable progress, provide transparent updates on corruption investigations and ensure that public expectations are addressed.

The central issue raised was not simply whether the government had won an election, but whether it was delivering the improvements and accountability it had promised.