Flag of Malawi

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The flag of Malawi was officially adopted on 6 July 1964

when the colony of Nyasaland became independent from Malawi
British rule and renamed itself Malawi.

Contents

1 Design

2 20102012
Use National flag, civil and state ensign
3 Flag colours
Proportion 2:3
4 Gallery Adopted 6 July 1964 (re-adopted in 2012)

5 References Design A horizontal triband of black, red, and

green; charged with a red rising sun
centred on the black stripe

Design
The first flag of independent Malawi was adopted on 6 July 1964. The rising sun represents the dawn of hope
and freedom for the continent of Africa (when the flag was created, more countries in Africa were gaining
independence from European rule). The black represents the indigenous people of the continent, the red
symbolizes the blood of their struggle, and the green represents nature. The flag resembles the Pan-African flag
designed by Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association, with the red and black bands reversed
and a red sun in the top. It also resembles the flag of the now-defunct Republic of Biafra.

20102012
A new flag of Malawi was adopted on 29 July 2010, as proposed by the
Democratic Progressive Party-led government. The stripes were altered
from the previous flag to match the original Pan-African Flag layout, with
the red stripe at the top, the black stripe in middle, and the green stripe at
the bottom. The rising sun at the flag's top was replaced with a full, centred
white sun representing the economic progress Malawi has made since
becoming independent.[1] The opposition United Democratic Front
announced that it would challenge the legitimacy of flag change in court.[2] Flag from 2010 to 2012.
The flag was endorsed by the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika,
who approved the flag change on 29 July 2010.[3] There was much public
outcry about whether there was a need to change the flag, but the process continued despite being unwelcome to
much of the public.[4] The flag was pejoratively nicknamed "Bingu's flag" by the majority of the nation who
saw it as an illegitimate flag.[5] Many objected to the new flag, perceiving its adoption as undemocratic.[6]

On 28 May 2012, under new president Joyce Banda, Parliament voted to revert to the independence flag.[7][8]

Flag colours
The colours of the flag are defined using British Standard colours:[9]

Scheme Black Red Green

British Standard Colours 0-000 0-005 0-010

Gallery

Flag of the President of Flag of British Central Flag of Nyasaland Flag of Nyasaland
Malawi Africa Protectorate (1914-1919) (1919-1964)

Flag of the Federation "Bingu's Flag" (2010-

of Rhodesia and 2012)
Nyasaland (1953-1963)

References
1. The proposed new Malawi national flag (http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/have-your-say-the-proposed-new-malawi-
national-flag.html), Nyasa Times
 2. Flag change to be challenged in court (http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/flag-change-to-be-challenged-in-court-udf.ht
ml), Nyasa Times
3. http://www.nationmw.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3415:bingu-endorses-new-flag-
bill&catid=1:national-news&Itemid=3
4. http://www.nyasatimes.com/.../malawi-fly-new-modified-flags-despite-public-outcry.html
5. http://www.newsdzezimbabwe.co.uk/2012/05/malawi-ditches-bingus-flag.html
6. http://www.nyasatimes.com/2012/04/09/dear-president-banda-a-piece-of-advice/
7. "Malawi Parliament approves to revert to original flag". Nyasa Times. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
8. "Malawi reverts to old flag". Sunday Times. 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
9. Malawi (http://flagspot.net/flags/mw.html) at Flags of the World. Accessed 17 February 2006.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_of_Malawi&oldid=728591030"

Categories: National symbols of Malawi Flags of Africa 1964 introductions National flags

This page was last modified on 6 July 2016, at 09:50.

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