Gotabaya Rajapaksa “Give Me the Country Again” Quote Is Fake

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With former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa back in the headlines over an SLPP rally planned for September 12 in Anuradhapura, a quote card claiming to carry his own words has been racing across Facebook. It puts a bold promise in his mouth: “If this country is entrusted to me again, I will govern it well.” The line taps directly into the economic anxiety many Sri Lankans still carry from the 2022 crisis, which is exactly why it spread so fast. Here are the posts that carried the claim.

Social Media Posts

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Fact-Check

No Mainstream Media Reported This Statement

Had Gotabaya Rajapaksa publicly made such a statement, mainstream media would almost certainly have reported it. No mainstream outlet or credible official source carried any such statement. We also reviewed Rajapaksa’s recent public remarks to the media and found no instance of him saying this.

SLPP Spokesperson Confirms No Such Statement Was Made

To verify the claim, we contacted Sanjeewa Edirimanne, SLPP Media Spokesperson and former Member of Parliament, who confirmed that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had not made any such statement.

No Official Word on His Participation in the September 12 Rally

The SLPP has organised a public rally in Anuradhapura on September 12, 2026. When we asked whether former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would attend, Edirimanne said no official information on the matter, confirming that claims circulating about Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s participation are false.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa Currently Faces Separate Legal Proceedings

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned amid mass public protests during the “Aragalaya” movement, spent a short period abroad before returning to Sri Lanka and is currently facing various court proceedings. In connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, he has filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal seeking to prevent his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The order on whether this writ petition will be admitted for hearing is due on September 22. More details here.

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Conclusion:

Our fact-check finds that the viral claim stating former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, “If this country is entrusted to me again, I will govern it well,” is false. No mainstream media outlet reported such a statement, and Rajapaksa’s own recent public remarks contain no trace of it.

SLPP Media Spokesperson and former MP Sanjeewa Edirimanne confirmed directly to Fact Crescendo that Rajapaksa made no such statement either.