Stepping into role of Speaker

Born on October 10, 1945 in Makandura, Matara, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is a senior politician with more than 30 years experience in politics. He had his primary education at Thelijjavila Central College and Rahula College, Matara. He obtained his first degree from the University of Colombo and also received specialized training in Management from the Institute of Management, Chandigarh, India.

He first entered Parliament by winning the Hakmana by-election in 1983 representing the UNP. He was one of two Government MPs to vote against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which came about as a result of the signing of the 1987 Indo-Lanka agreement, leading to him being removed from the UNP for violating party rules. He later joined a breakaway faction of the UNP, the DUNF, before joining the SLFP in 2015.

Mr Abeywardena has served as Chairman of the Southern Provincial Council (1993/94) and also as Chief Minister of the same Provincial Council from 1994 to 2001. He has also held a number of Ministries such as Health, Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Irrigation and Rural Development, Industry and Commerce, Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture.