President Promises CIABOC Branches Across All Provinces in Anti-Corruption Push

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) will establish offices in every province of Sri Lanka, marking a significant step in the government's efforts to strengthen anti-corruption enforcement across the country.

Expanding the Reach of Anti-Corruption Efforts

The President made the announcement as part of a broader commitment to making anti-corruption institutions more accessible to citizens island-wide. Currently, CIABOC's operations are largely centralised, limiting the ability of people in rural and regional areas to easily report bribery and corruption-related incidents.

By establishing provincial offices, the government aims to bring CIABOC's investigative and enforcement capabilities closer to the public, encouraging more widespread reporting of corrupt practices at all levels of administration.

A Key Pillar of the Government's Governance Agenda

The move aligns with President Dissanayake's administration's flagship promise of rooting out systemic corruption, which has long been identified as a major obstacle to Sri Lanka's economic recovery and institutional credibility.

Analysts have noted that decentralising CIABOC's presence could prove transformative, particularly in provinces where corruption in local government and public service delivery has historically gone unchecked due to limited oversight mechanisms.

Public Expectations Run High

Citizens and civil society groups have repeatedly called for stronger and more accessible anti-corruption infrastructure. The planned provincial expansion is expected to be welcomed by many who have felt that geographic barriers prevented them from engaging with CIABOC's processes.

No specific timeline for the rollout of the provincial offices has been publicly confirmed as yet, but the President's announcement signals clear political will to accelerate the initiative in the near term.

Sri Lanka has faced persistent challenges with bribery and institutional corruption over the decades, and strengthening bodies such as CIABOC is widely regarded as essential to rebuilding public trust in governance ahead of the country's continued economic stabilisation efforts.