Order of the Lion (Malawi)

The Order of the Lion was, at one point, the highest state order, and the second-highest honor bestowed by the government of Malawi.

Order of the Lion
Awarded by  Malawi
TypeOrder of Merit
RibbonRed with gold stripes
Awarded forDistinguished and outstanding service to the people of Malawi
StatusObsolete
GradesGrand Commander
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Member
Medal

Ribbon bar of the order

History

The order was established by President Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1967. It was the second-highest honor to be bestowed by the government.[1] The order consisted of five classes plus a medal, to be awarded "For distinguished and outstanding services to the people of Malawi".[2]

Banda announced the creation of the order, as well as a number of other new awards, in July 1966.[3] The announcement was given at Zomba, the capital of the Nyasaland Protectorate, before it gained independence from Britain and became The Republic of Malawi. Malawian civilians and military personnel, as well as foreigners, were all eligible for award of the order. However, in 2008, after deliberations that had lasted for three years, the Malawian government decided to deactivate the Order of the Lion, although appointees to the order were still allowed to wear the insignia of their grade.[4]

Hastings Banda wearing the Order of the Lion

Description

The ribbon of the order is red, with two golden stripes running down each side. The Medal of the Order of the Lion is a cross, with a central medallion featuring an image of a lion's face, encircled by a red banner on which the Malawian motto, "Unity and Freedom." is written. The medals of higher grades of the order feature the same medallion, superimposed onto a green enameled cross. The grades of Grand Commander and Grand Officer also receive a badge, again featuring the lion medallion, superimposed onto stars. The Grand Commander's badge features twelve rays extending between the points of a twelve-pointed star, and the Grand Officer's badge features a ten-pointed star with points alternating in length, and is itself superimposed on an inverted pentagon.[2]

Notable recipients
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References
  1. Charlton, Peter (2010). "Malawian Medal Issues of President H. Kamuzu Banda". The Society of Malawi Journal. 63 (1): 43–51. JSTOR 29783608.
  2. "Republic of Malawi: Order of the Lion". medals.org.uk. March 21, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  3. O'Toole, E.H. (1966). "New Awards for Malawi" (PDF). The Medal Collector. 17 (9): 4. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  4. Fischer, E.J. (2010). "The Republic of Malawi's Current Decoration System" (PDF). The Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America. 61 (5): 41. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  5. "Commanding the Respect of the Malawians". mwnation.com. April 1, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  6. "Ehrungen (in Auswahl)" [Honors (in Selection)]. www.fjs.de (in German). Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  7. "Malawian Order of the Lion and Ephemera". julienslive.com. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  8. "Address by Nelson Mandela on receiving the Order of the Lion of Malawi". mandela.gov. May 22, 2002. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
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