<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 05/30/97
000 C000000 0000846596
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 KEMPER STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5767
001 C000000 3125377000
002 A000000 222 SOUTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA
002 B000000 CHICAGO
002 C000000 IL
002 D010000 60606
002 D020000 5808
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004 000000 N
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008 A000001 ZURICH KEMPER INVESTMENTS, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-6634
008 D010001 CHICAGO
008 D020001 IL
008 D030001 60606
008 D040001 5808
012 A000001 ZURICH KEMPER SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000001 84-1713
012 C010001 KANSAS CITY
012 C020001 MO
012 C030001 64105
013 A000001 ERNST & YOUNG LLP
013 B010001 CHICAGO
013 B020001 IL
013 B030001 60606
014 A000001 ZURICH KEMPER DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B000001 8-47765
<PAGE> PAGE 2
014 A000002 GRUNTAL SECURITIES, INC.
014 B000002 8-31022
014 A000003 THE GMS GROUP, INC.
014 B000003 8-23936
015 A000001 INVESTORS FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 KANSAS CITY
015 C020001 MO
015 C030001 64105
015 E010001 X
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015 B000002 S
015 C010002 BOSTON
015 C020002 MA
015 C030002 02110
015 E010002 X
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022 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000001 13-2518466
022 C000001 7321
022 D000001 4807
022 A000002 BANKERS TRUST COMPANY
022 B000002 13-4941247
022 C000002 4000
022 D000002 3302
022 A000003 WILLIAM E. SIMON & SONS MUNICIPAL SEC., INC
022 B000003 22-3017217
022 C000003 3475
022 D000003 1985
022 A000004 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000004 13-5108880
022 C000004 2400
022 D000004 1503
022 A000005 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
022 B000005 13-2655998
022 C000005 3406
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006 1353
022 D000006 1491
022 A000007 SMITH BARNEY INC.
022 B000007 13-1912900
022 C000007 100
022 D000007 1579
022 A000008 J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000008 13-3224016
022 C000008 0
022 D000008 1402
022 A000009 PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
022 B000009 13-2638166
022 C000009 0
022 D000009 540
022 C000010 0
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 22055
023 D000000 16609
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025 D000001 0
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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SIGNATURE JEROME L DUFFY
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE 1997
SEMIANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE
TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000846596
<NAME> KEMPER STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-START> DEC-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 115,126
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 125,455
<RECEIVABLES> 2,863
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 128,318
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 15
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 485
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 500
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 117,872
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 10,604
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 10,559
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 313
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (696)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 10,329
<NET-ASSETS> 127,818
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4,742
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (496)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 4,246
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (97)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (795)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 3,354
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (4,332)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 45
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (416)
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (599)
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<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 127,709
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.14
<PER-SHARE-NII> .40
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.08)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.41)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.05
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<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>