Depicts a portrait of Hastings Banda right, country name in banner below.

Hastings Kamuzu Banda (c. 1898 – 1997) was the leader of Malawi from 1964 to 1994, serving as Prime Minister and then its first president when the country became a republic in 1966. Educated abroad in fields like medicine and history, Banda returned to Malawi to advocate for independence from British colonial rule. He declared Malawi a one-party state under the Malawi Congress Party, and in 1971, became its President for Life. Despite modernizing infrastructure and education, Banda's rule was marked by severe repression, human rights abuses, and political killings. Under pressure, he agreed to end the one-party system in 1993 and lost the 1994 election.

Depicts the coat of arms of Malawi, date and denomination in English letters below.

Malawi's coat of arms is based on Nyasaland's earlier heraldic arms. It features a shield supported by a lion and a leopard, standing on a representation of Mount Mulanje. The shield is divided into three parts: wavy lines symbolizing water, a central stripe with a lion representing strength, and a rising sun, symbolizing hope and new beginnings. Above the shield is a fish eagle in front of a rising sun, symbolizing freedom. The scroll below the shield bears the national motto, "Unity and Freedom," reflecting Malawi's goals of harmony and independence.