User:Jeff Chakanyuka/sandbox

Jeff Kurai Chakanyuka is a Zimbabwean prominent human rights activist. He is also a trained aircraft engineer with knowledge of ex-soviet civil and military aircraft.

Jeff Kurai Chakanyuka is also a human rights defender who is known for his role in advocating for democracy, anti Zanu-PF demonstrator, equality, gender balance, lesbian and gay rights, inclusion and economic and political freedom for marginalized groups of society.

Background
Jeff Chakanyuka grew up in Harare where he was based before moving to Ukraine where he studied as an aircraft engineer. Since he left Harare in 2012, he hasn't returned to Harare. He is the founder of the Youth of Zimbabwe page on Facebook, blogger, an active member of the MDC-T UK and a member of human rights groups in the UK. .

Human rights activism
After a series of demonstrations, petitions and protests for human rights violations by the Government of Zimbabwe during the Robert Mugabe regime which he and other activists organised, he was on the political spotlight and became a well-known human rights activist using the internet to fight for democracy. During the year 2016 and 2017, Chakanyuka helped to mobilize Zimbabweans in the Nov 2017 people's march against Robert Mugabe, helped to organize the protest outside Rainbow Tours demanding that Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko vacate the hotel's presidential suite in which he has been staying with his family since December 2014. .

Jeff Chakanyuka helped and organised a series of several successful campaigns including the “Linda4mp” campaign where he took the role of creating a GoFundMe page and raising funds, and volunteering to create websites for independent candidates. Jeff Chakanyuka was involved in the launch of the Occupy Africa Unity Square Campaign in June 2016, which was organised to run for 2 weeks. The campaign was crushed by Zimbabwe Republic Police who then arrested fellow activist Patson Dzamara and several other campaign members for made up robbery charges.

Chakanyuka has has been an active member of human rights groups in the UK including Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO), Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) and Zimbabwe Vigil (ZimVigil).

Positions held

 * Founder of Facebook page "Youth of Zimbabwe".
 * MDC UK youth Leader "Liverpool Branch".
 * Demonstration Organiser of ZimVigil.
 * Organising Secretary for ROHR.