Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in on Sunday as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister at a centuries-old Buddhist temple after his party won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections that allowed the influential family to consolidate power for the next five years.

“I am humbled by the opportunity given to me to serve my people again,” the 74-year-old former President and Sri Lanka People’s Party leader tweeted after assuming charge.

He enjoys cult status among the majority Sinhala community for ending the nearly 30-year-long civil war with the LTTE in 2009.