The Local Community: A Legal Mediator Between Private Property and the State?

In Zambia, like in other colonies, the British introduced a distinction between ”crown land” and ”native reserve land”. While in the latter land management and all the natural resources going with it, was left to ”native authorities” according to the principle of indirect rule, the former was administered in keeping with British regulations. Areas which lend to commercial farming, sites of copper mines and the prospective urban areas were declared crown land to be subdivided and subsequently sold (freehold) or let (leasehold). After independence, many of the farmers departed, leaving their property vacated. Hence squatting on abandoned parcels was easy and widespread, especially on the farms surrounding the built-up urban areas. However, in juridical terms it remained an illegal possession always threatened by eviction.