In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) Mayoral candidate for Colombo, outlines his vision for accountable local governance, improved public health, and inclusive development. A first-time candidate, Haniffa draws on his experience as a doctor and academic to promise people-centred reform.
Q: What impact has the prolonged absence of elected representatives had on the functioning of the Colombo Municipal Council, and how do you plan to restore accountability if elected Mayor?
A: The biggest issue is the lack of accountability from bureaucrats. During the campaign, we visited areas where officials made decisions without proper community consultation. Whether those decisions were technically right or wrong, the results speak for themselves—closed playgrounds and neglected community centers.
The absence of political oversight has clearly affected everyday life. People in the inner city are feeling the consequences, streetlights not installed, parks deteriorating and community spaces unused. There’s been a breakdown in both democratic representation and practical service delivery.
Q: With this being the third election in seven months, do you believe the public is disengaged, or is there a renewed political energy?
A: Yes, that’s a concern. Generally, Local Government elections have lower turnout because people know these elections won’t change national policy.
While there’s concern about turnout, I wouldn’t call it voter fatigue. In fact, I sense more energy this time. People haven’t had a say in local governance for years, they want that power back. They’re eager to correct what has been neglected. And with the broader national political climate in mind, they may feel this is a chance to influence change from the ground up.
Q: You’ve described your campaign as rooted in “humanistic capitalism.” How does your manifesto reflect that, and what sets it apart from others?
A: I haven’t gone through the manifestos of other candidates. They are entitled to pursue their own ideas. We’re not responding to them, we’re guided by our own political philosophy, which I describe as humanistic capitalism. We have focused on practical, people-centred governance.
Our manifesto was developed through a three-tiered process. First, we conducted grassroots consultations to understand what residents actually need. Then, we incorporated insights from technical experts. Finally, we engaged key stakeholders from the private sector and parts of government.
We address 14 issues, ranging from preschool education to elderly care. I often say the Colombo Municipal Council provides services from the womb to the tomb. We have maternity homes where children are born, and cemeteries where people are laid to rest. In between, we handle infrastructure such as roads, sewer systems, housing, water, streetlights, and traffic management. We’ve also included tourism and urban beautification in our plans.
To implement this, we’ve designed a three-pronged approach grounded in three core principles: effective and efficient administration, responsibility and accountability, and real-time transparency. We want to make technology a major part of this.
For example, if your garbage hasn’t been collected or your sewer line is blocked, you’ll be able to log a complaint through a tech-based system and receive a reference number. We won’t promise to fix it immediately, but we will promise to respond quickly and inform you of the timeline and process. That way, you as the resident will know the status of your complaint, and the officials will be held accountable. If we fail to meet our targets, we’ll explain why—and that’s where accountability comes in.
When you combine these three principles, you get a proper system of supervision and service delivery, where both the Council and the citizens know exactly what is happening and can demand transparency.
Q: Coming from a background in medicine and academia, what motivated your entry into politics—and why align with the SJB?
A: Most people know me in a professional or academic capacity—not as a politician. But my reasons are deeply ideological. In a democracy, we need diverse political voices: capitalists, socialists, liberals, neoliberals, and so on. That’s the beauty of a functioning democracy.
I consider myself a committed humanist capitalist. When I looked at the spectrum of political parties, the SJB was the best fit for me in terms of economic, social, and development policies. That’s why I aligned myself with them.
As individuals in a capitalist system, we often focus on personal growth, education, wealth, entrepreneurship. But over time, capitalism has failed to uplift the broader community. Only individuals progressed, and the benefits didn’t trickle down. People rightly became disillusioned and turned towards socialism in recent elections.
I believe it’s time for people like me, capitalists with a conscience, to come forward and show how capitalism can work for everyone. The SJB has acknowledged past mistakes and is willing to change. People like me are part of that correction.
Also, I believe politics is too important to be left solely to career politicians. Society should be reflected in political representation. We need doctors, nurses, lawyers and journalists. Everyone has a role to play. People keep calling for system change, well, I’m being that change. I’ve shifted from my professional comfort zone into politics because I believe professionals should lead that transformation.
Q: What have you learned from your first campaign experience that you didn’t expect?
A: The level of trust people still place in politicians surprised me. Whether in a slum or a high-rise, people genuinely believe you can improve their lives. As a doctor, I’m used to being trusted—but seeing that same hope extended to political figures was powerful. It reinforces the responsibility that comes with this role.
Q: Have you observed any irregularities or misuse of State resources during this campaign?
A: There hasn’t been physical intimidation, and authorities have mostly cooperated. But we’ve seen subtle violations—unauthorised posters showing all candidates together, for instance. More concerning are veiled threats, like the President implying that Councils not aligned with the Government might not receive funds. That undermines democracy. Public funds must be distributed based on statutory obligations, not politics. Look at the JVP’s Thissamaharama Council—it performed well despite being in the Opposition at the time. That’s the kind of democratic maturity we need.
Q: Local Council elections usually don’t attract much attention, and usually the party in power wins local Council elections easily. The NPP is firmly in power. How do you plan to challenge that dynamic?
A: Colombo has never been a socialist stronghold—it favours capitalist governance. We respect the NPP’s national mandate, but we’re presenting a credible, alternative vision. I represent the kind of candidate they themselves have advocated for—multilingual, professional, non-racist. We’re not opposing for the sake of opposition—we’re offering competence and ideas. Let the people judge us on that.
Q: Let’s talk about public health in Colombo. The city has high rates of Dengue, TB, and Non Communicable Diseasess. What are your proposed solutions?
A: Colombo is densely populated, which contributes to a range of health issues. One in eight people here has TB. One in five has diabetes. Dengue is endemic, and now Chikungunya is also spreading rapidly.
There are two components to health care, preventive and curative. Sri Lanka has traditionally been strong in preventive health, but the absence of political oversight has severely weakened that system. Preventive services have broken down.
The CMC runs 45 Western medical centres and 37 Ayurveda centres. We shouldn’t neglect the latter, many residents rely on those services. We need to make preventive and curative care work together in a coordinated, holistic model.
I propose implementing the Primary Health Care System Strengthening Project (PSSP), funded by the World Bank and ADB and led by the Ministry of Health. It’s based on the family medicine model—bringing care to the community rather than sending everyone to hospitals. This includes continuity of care, preventive services, early screening, and referrals.
I invite all political parties to commit to this. If I win, I’ll implement it. If someone else wins and wants to implement it, I will support them. The real winner should be the people of Colombo.
Q: Drugs and crime are major concerns in urban Colombo. What can the CMC do to address these issues?
A: Crime falls under the police and national authorities, and the CMC has no policing power. But on the drug issue, we can and must act. Drug use often stems from deeper social issues like unemployment and lack of community support. We want to use our community spaces—55 parks and playgrounds—to offer youth programs in sports, arts, and vocational training. More importantly, Colombo lacks a dedicated drug rehabilitation centre within city limits. We aim to change that by establishing community-based rehab programs, bringing together medical experts, law enforcement, and social workers. The goal is to reduce drug use through reintegration, not punishment.
