Malawi, 2010-2012

On 29 July 2010, Malawi adopted a new flag proposed by the Democratic Progressive Party-led government. It was now a horizontal red-black-green tricolour with a full, centred white sun with 45 rays (representing the “economic progress” Malawi had made since independence). The opposition challenged the legitimacy of this flag, and it was also widely disliked by the public, naming it “Bingu’s flag” (after the then President, Bingu wa Mutharika, who had approved it). On 28 May 2012, under the new president, Joyce Banda, the Parliament voted to revert to the original flag adopted upon Malawi’s independence.