20100729
africanews

Malawian president Bingu wa Mutharika has given the nod to change the national flag of the Southern African country, according to the Speaker for the National Assembly, Henry Chimunthu-Banda. The news follows wa Mutharika's assent to the Flag Change bill after a 21-day grace period.

"We wish to inform the general public that His Excellency the State President Bingu wa Mutharika assented to the Flag change Bill. This is one of the many Bills that Mutharika has signed," Chimunthu-Banda said.

"We are not changing the flag. We are simply modifying it. Government consultations show that most people would like the flag to change to the proposed one," said Minister Reckford Thotho.

Civil Society Organizations argue resources put to the change would better be utilized to cover health, education, and agricultural needs of the majority of the people. They added the change, argued by government to reflect the development that Malawi has gone through since independence, was a mockery as Malawi was still far from a developed nation.

"We are a pathetic lot thinking we have reached a stage where we should change the flag to reflect political, development and social development in the country. We are very far behind and this only shows as Malawians we have no ambition," expressed Mavuto Bamusi, of a Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC).

Opposition parties led by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which is the second largest in the House, walked out in protest when majority ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) representatives voted yes to change the flag on 2nd July 2010.

The new flag features a full white sun in the centre of horizontal stripes of red, black and green. The original flag has the black, red and green stripes with a rising red sun in the top black stripe.

Pro-flag change pundits say this is a welcome development and government is expected to launch the new controversial flag soonest - affecting all documents and murals that feature the national symbol.

Drivers, travellers, security personnel, and other insignia bearing symbols may have to spend extra funds to change to conform with the new flag.