A rising sun against a black field is also present in the coat of arms of Malawi and in the flag it officially 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 flag resembles the Pan-African flag designed by the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which was founded and led by Jamaican pan-Africanist leader Marcus Garvey, with the red and black bands reversed and a red sun at the top.

A new flag of Malawi was adopted on 29 July 2010, as proposed by the Democratic Progressive Party–led government.

[1] The opposition United Democratic Front announced that it would challenge the legitimacy of flag change in court.

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