Christopher Tichaona Kuruneri (4 April 1949 – 28 May 2022) was a Zimbabwean businessman, politician, lawyer, farmer and philanthropist. He was a Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development and member of parliament for Mount Darwin East. Kuruneri was a member of Zanu-PF. He owned Ascotvale farm in the Mazowe valley in Zimbabwe. Early life and education Kuruneri was born in the Mbare District of Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe), on 4 April 1949. His parents hail from the town of Mount Darwin in the Mashonaland Central Provincial District of Zimbabwe. The last born of seven, Kuruneri went to high school at Goromonzi High School in Zimbabwe, where he obtained his GCSEs, excelling in Mathematics and Economics. He then obtained a scholarship sending him first to New York City, USA then to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Vancouver where he obtained his first degree. He then completed his studies at York University in Toronto, Ontario, where he obtained a PhD in economics. He then worked for the government of Ontario during the Zimbabwean war for independence. Career Following the independence of Zimbabwe he moved back to Zimbabwe to work in the Ministry of Finance as an advisor for the Honourable Bernard Chidzero. He then transitioned to the Urban Development Corporation of Zimbabwe. He was falsely charged with corruption in the early 1990s when he was general manager of the Urban Development Corporation after he allegedly influenced the corporation to buy a property from Chris Mushonga, who he wanted to enter into business with, for $5 million. He was cleared of this case in November 1994. Mushonga had bought the property for $15 000 in 1984. After selling his house on 30 Harare drive to the Canadian Embassy he bought Bromley Farm just outside Marondera, Zimbabwe. In 1996 he sold the farm in Bromley and bought Asctovale farm in the Mazowe Valley, where he also ran as the local MP under Zanu PF. He was eventually elected as Deputy Finance Minister in 1999 then later Finance Minister of Zimbabwe in 2004. He was relieved by the government of his Cabinet position as Finance Minister after it was revealed that he spent millions purchasing two homes in Llandudno, Cape Town, which is a suburb popular with movie stars and wealthy businessmen. One of the houses, a six-bedroom double-storey overlooking the beach, was auctioned in February 2011. He has