Dinesh Gunawardena has been sworn in as the new Sri Lankan Prime Minister, hours after soldiers and police cleared the recently rampant anti-government protests in Colombo.
The newly appointed Prime Minister has been a veteran member of Sri Lanka's ruling People's Front, and is a known political ally and confidante of the Rajapaksa family.
He took oath of office on Friday before the country's President Ranil Wickremensinghe, who was left to clear the economic and social rubble left in the wake of Gotabaya Rajapaksa's alleged economic destruction.
Gunawardena took oath of office during Friday's ceremony held at the official Prime Minister's Resident on Flower Road, Colombo.
Following Rajapaksa's recent evasion from his home country, he had "promoted" Wickremesinghe from Sri Lanka's Prime Minister as the country's new head of state.
Both Wickremesinghe and Gunawardena have been friends since they were three, and former schoolmates.
Despite the lengthy friendship, both men lead political parties with widely contrasting ideologies.
Sri Lanka's current President Wickremesinghe is a known free-market champion and a pro-West politician whereas Gunawardena as an ardent Sinhala nationalist, with fervent beliefs in socialism with ideals that call for greater state control over the economy.
Following Gunawardena's swear-in as the new Prime Minister, the cabinet was reportedly scheduled to be sworn later on Friday.
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