Malawi’s flag, first adopted on 6 July 1964, is a horizontal tricolour of black, red, and green bearing a rising red sun on the black band to mark the dawn of independence. In 2010 a redesigned flag with a full white sun and reordered colours (red‑black‑green) briefly replaced it; the original design was restored by Act in May 2012. Black stands for the people, red for sacrifice, green for the land. Ratio 2:3; law standardizes the sun and colours.
Malawi’s national flag has twice served as a visual ledger of constitutional change. At independence on 6 July 1964 the republic adopted a horizontal tricolour—black over red over green—with a red rising sun of thirty‑one rays centred on the black band. The sun symbolised the dawn of freedom for the peoples of Africa. Black represented the people of Malawi; red the blood shed in the struggle; green the country’s rich land and vegetation.
The 1964 design remained in use for decades, becoming a familiar emblem in schools, ceremonies, and diplomacy. Specifications set a 2:3 ratio; colours and the sun’s ray count and geometry were standardised. Protocol provided for precedence, half‑masting, illumination at night, and dignified retirement of worn flags.
In July 2010 a new flag was introduced featuring three bands reordered red‑black‑green and a full white sun centred on the black stripe. Officials argued this represented a “mature” noonday nation. The redesign was controversial, with debates about public consultation, cost, and the perceived abandonment of liberation symbolism. Following elections, Parliament repealed the change and, in May 2012, restored the 1964 flag by law.
The restoration affirmed the primacy of the independence narrative. Today the 1964 banner—with its rising sun—again flies on state buildings and abroad. Civic education materials emphasise correct handling, the meaning of the colours, and the historical interlude of 2010–2012.
Across both episodes, the flag’s essential message has remained consistent: people, sacrifice, and land joined beneath a shared rising sun.