Tensions flared on Wednesday between opposition and the ruling party deputies on Wednesday during the Senaki City Assembly hearing on the City Hall audit report. 

The dispute arose when the United National Movement opposition party insisted on questioning City Hall department heads whose activities, they claimed, were flagged for flaws and violations by the Internal Audit Service in 2022.

Opposition members have demanded a lawful resolution to the matter and claimed “corruption is rampant, and the local government has fostered a stark divide among Senaki's populace: On one hand, a privileged few enjoy cushy positions funded by the taxpayer, acting with impunity; on the other, the rest of Senaki's residents face limited options under this administration - either flee to Europe for menial work or succumb to substance abuse, as Senaki has regrettably become synonymous with addiction”.