Raf Manji

Manji was born in London to an Indian Muslim father who worked as a banker[5] and an Irish Catholic mother.[6] He was educated at the University of Manchester, graduating with a degree in economics and social studies.[5] He went travelling in Asia and met a New Zealand woman, whom he later married.[2] He worked as an investment banker, before migrating to New Zealand with his family in 2002.[5] He earned a Graduate Diploma in Politics and a Masters in International Law and Politics from the University of Canterbury.[5] He worked for non-profits and volunteering before becoming involved in the Volunteer Army Foundation.[7]

Manji was elected to the Christchurch City Council for the Fendalton-Waimairi ward in 2013[8] after being encouraged to run by mayor Lianne Dalziel.[7] He quickly became Dalziel's right-hand man on finance issues with the support of Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner, serving as deputy chair on financial committees and helping to manage the post-earthquake rebuild.[9] He was re-elected in the Waimairi Ward in 2016.

Manji contested the electorate of Ilam, which had been a safe seat for the National Party, as an independent at the 2017 New Zealand general election. He campaigned on a platform of being a voice for Christchurch during its recovery from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake,[5][7][10] including promoting the idea of an investment fund for local housing, and Christchurch bidding to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.[11][12][13] Manji polled well, coming second behind incumbent National Party MP Gerry Brownlee, and ahead of the Labour Party candidate.[14]

He retired from the Christchurch City Council at the 2019 New Zealand local elections.[15][16]

Following the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings Manji suggested that inequality resulting from financial deregulation had helped radicalise alt-right terrorism.[17] He was subsequently appointed to chair an advisory group to decide how to use money raised to support the victims.[18][19] Following the approach used after the Grenfell Tower fire he established a "listening project" and spent months meeting with victims and hearing their stories.[20][21] In November 2020 he advocated for a $34.8 million government compensation package to victims and their families.[22]

On 27 January 2022 he was announced as the new leader of The Opportunities Party.[6][23] He contested the Ilam seat at the 2023 New Zealand general election.[24]