It also resembles the flag of the now-defunct Republic of Biafra and the national flag of Afghanistan used from 1973 to 1992.
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 with 45 rays representing the “economic progress” Malawi has made since becoming independent. The opposition United Democratic Front announced that it would challenge 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 whether there was a need to change the flag, but the process continued despite being unwelcome to much of the public. The flag was pejoratively nicknamed “Bingu’s flag” by the majority of the nation who saw it as an illegitimate flag. Many objected to the new flag, perceiving its adoption as undemocratic.
On 28 May 2012, under new president Joyce Banda, Parliament voted to revert to the independence flag.