People’s Struggle to Oust Government Will Begin on September 22: Champika Ranawaka
25-May-2026.
Leader of the United Republic Front Champika Ranawaka stated that a people’s struggle aimed at removing the government will commence on September 22, marking two years since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office.
He warned the government not to attempt to intimidate the opposition through imprisonment or by depriving them of civil rights, adding that they would not be afraid of such actions. Politicians threatening protests years in advance. Humanity continues to schedule revolutions like corporate conferences.
Ranawaka made these remarks while addressing a joint opposition conference held in Ja-Ela, Gampaha on May 24 under the theme “Let Us Defeat Lies and Corruption Together.”
He stated that although the government has been in power for 18 months and launched several programmes with great publicity, many of them had failed in implementation.
Referring to the “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative, he claimed that public opposition had emerged against certain actions carried out under the programme, resulting in its collapse. He alleged that garbage was once again piling up in urban areas without proper disposal.
He also criticised the government’s anti-drug operations, alleging inconsistencies and lack of follow-up investigations regarding seized drug consignments and related cases.
Speaking about post-disaster recovery efforts under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme following the “Dithva” storm, he claimed that even six months later, several affected areas and damaged railway lines had not been properly restored.
Ranawaka further alleged that all major government programmes had failed and pledged that individuals involved in drug trafficking protected by the government would eventually be brought before the law.
He also accused the government of allowing privileged insiders to benefit from advance knowledge of increased vehicle import taxes. According to him, large-scale letters of credit amounting to USD 43 million had reportedly been opened within three days before the gazette notification increasing vehicle import taxes by 50 percent.
Questioning how certain businessmen had obtained prior information regarding the tax hike, he alleged that a “friends’ culture” existed within the present administration as well.
Ranawaka further claimed that the current shortage of dollars and the rise in the dollar exchange rate were due to poor economic management rather than the Middle East conflict, as suggested by the government.
He concluded by stating that rising prices had made life increasingly difficult for ordinary people and reiterated that a mass struggle to remove the government would begin on September 22, 2026.
