ABSTRACT
The systematic analysis of squatters, shanty towns or slums receives scant attention; but in the world of political and social affairs the 'irregular' residential areas figure prominently. Indeed, mention of them tends to be in terms of 'problems' which need 'solutions'. A difference between the squatter 'problem' in Zambia and elsewhere is that the illegal occupation of private land is a minor aspect of the definition of a squatter in Zambia. The illegal occupation of land is in Zambia at least a minor aspect of the problem. Conversely, the municipal part of a town would be severely handicapped, at least under present conditions in Zambia, if it could not rely on the labour and some specialist services of the squatter areas. As most squatters live on public land it is largely a matter of central government legislating for 'a simplified system of land tenure' in order to give self-help housing schemes proper security of tenure.
