Lagatar24 Desk
Colombo, July 21: Ranil Wickremesinghe took the oath of office as president of Sri Lanka on Thursday, July 21. Earlier on Wednesday, Ranil Wickremesinghe won the presidential election, becoming Sri Lanka’s ninth leader. He obtained 134 votes.
According to a statement from his office, Wickremesinghe (73), who was elected by lawmakers on Wednesday, took the oath of office before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya in the heavily guarded parliament complex.
The new president was supported by Sri Lanka’s police commissioner and senior military officials as the oath was taken in front of parliamentary speaker Mahinda Abeywardana.
Live coverage of the brief ceremony was scheduled for local television, but it mysteriously ended soon as the swearing-in began.
Meanwhile, massive anti-Ranil Wickremesinghe rallies were taking place as he took the office. When he was the Prime Minister, protesters attacked his official mansion and set fire to his private property, demanding that he resign.
He spoke to the speaker immediately after winning the election on Wednesday and asked for permission to take the oath outside the Parliament chamber within the Parliament building. He gave the Opposition the reassurance that he will cooperate with all parties to rescue Sri Lanka from its historic economic disaster.
