The current flag of Malawi was adopted on 29 July 2010, after the Democratic Progressive Party-led government had proposed a new flag. 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.
The previous flag was adopted on 6 July 1964. The rising sun represented the dawn of hope and freedom for the continent of Africa. The black represented the indigenous people of the continent, the red symbolized the blood of their struggle, and the green represented nature.
The opposition United Democratic Front is challenging the legitimacy of flag change in court. The flag was endorsed by the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika, who approved the flag change on 29 July 2010. There was much public outcry about the need to change this flag at Malawi’s present political juncture but the flag change continued in spite of the change being unwelcome by much of the public.