Rajapaksa House Hunt: Finding His Own Roof

Colombo society is abuzz with chatter: where will Mahinda Rajapaksa live now?

After a new law stripped former presidents of their state-funded perks, including official housing, the once all-powerful patriarch of Sri Lankan politics is now in the unusual position of house-hunting. Supporters say a search is underway for a suitable property in Colombo that can accommodate both his family life and the steady flow of visitors who continue to seek his blessing.

According to a source close to the family, Rajapaksa is looking for a home spacious enough for meetings and public engagements. “It cannot just be a private bungalow; it has to be a place where people can come and go,” the source noted.

But the search is not without drama. Some Buddhist clergy have reportedly offered to gift a house to the Rajapaksa camp, while others within his own circles whisper that such gestures may not be enough to satisfy the needs—or the pride—of the once-first family.

Critics, meanwhile, are enjoying the spectacle. Many Sri Lankans, weary of dynastic politics and years of economic turmoil, see poetic justice in watching the Rajapaksas fend for themselves without the cushion of state resources. “For the first time, they must find their own way—like ordinary people do,” one Colombo resident quipped.

Supporters dismiss such talk as schadenfreude, insisting the former president still commands loyalty and respect, and will eventually find a residence worthy of his stature. But even they admit: this is no easy house-hunt.

For now, Colombo’s real-estate market has a most unexpected new client: the Rajapaksas.