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Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe revealed in Parliament today (15) how a large number of houses belonging to the Viyathpura housing project have been allocated to former ministers and various politicians, and how some of these houses are currently being used by their associates or by other unrelated persons.
He stated that although it was publicly claimed that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa moved to the Carlton House in Tangalle after handing over the official residence at Wijerama in Colombo, a house under his name is still reserved within the Viyathpura project. The Minister also pointed out that former MP Namal Rajapaksa and several other politicians have houses under their names in this project.
What is more concerning, he added, is that many of the individuals who obtained these houses on rent have failed to pay the due rental, and even the water and electricity bills have not been settled properly.
During the previous administration, around 14 Presidential Commissions had been appointed, but according to the Minister, only one—formed to provide relief to ministers whose houses were damaged during the 2022 Aragalaya—had been actively functioning. Reports of these commissions have revealed that 101 houses in the Viyathpura project had been distributed among political allies, and that keys to some of these houses have not been returned.
Statements made by the officer in charge of the housing allocations at the Urban Development Authority (UDA) confirm that in many cases, the houses allocated to MPs are actually occupied by other external individuals, not the MPs themselves.
According to the details submitted to Parliament:
Occupancy Transferred
The house numbered B2/09/05, allocated to Mahinda Rajapaksa, is occupied by former Boralesgamuwa Mayor Anura Priyasad.
The house numbered B1/07/11, allocated to Namal Rajapaksa, is occupied by a woman named Renuka Perera.
The house allocated to Chandima Weerakkody (No. B1/09/12) is occupied by another individual.
The house allocated to Seetha Arambepola (No. B1/8) is occupied by her private secretary.
The house allocated to Bandula Gunawardena (No. B1/6/7) is occupied by his secretary Kalum.
Furthermore:
The house allocated to Raveendra Kumar is occupied by his secretary.
The house allocated to Nimal Lanza (No. B2/01) is occupied by the Chairman of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha.
The house allocated to Sahan Jagath Kumara (No. B2/08/05) is occupied by Mahinda Kahandagama.
The house allocated to Gamini Lokuge (No. B1/4/11) is occupied by Lakshman Perera, former Mayor of Kesbewa.
Minister Samarasinghe tabled documents in Parliament detailing all these irregularities.