HASTINGS BANDA MALAWI BANKNOTES
Like many African ” Big Men” in the post independence era, Hastings Banda loved to have his photo taken. The production of 74 Malawi banknotes bearing his portrait during his 30-year presidency is record, except for the 108 with the portrait of President Mobutu from Zaire during a similar 30-year reign!
Established in 1891, the British Protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. Hastings Kamuzu Banda was born in 1898 in Kasungu, Malawi, and died November 25th 1997. He obtained medical degrees in the U.S.A. (1927), University of Edinburgh (1941), and practiced medicine in London (1945-53) and Ghana (1957-58).
Returning home in 1958, he led a campaign against the white-dominated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He was arrested in 1959 and freed in 1960. Assuming leadership of the government, Banda made Malawi a Republic in 1966 and declared himself President for Life in 1971. Ruling with an iron hand through the 1980’s and early 90’s, he finally lost power in May 1994.
MALAWI BANDA BANKNOTE DENOMINATION INTRODUCTION DATES
NEW DENOMINATION ISSUES
1973 5 Kwacha (no date),1983 20 Kwacha
1990 50 KWACHA, 1993 100 Kwacha
By 2006, there were also 200 and 500 Kwacha notes.
Increases in the denomination values are common in Africa, as parities with the dollar, sterling or the French Franc were not maintained and hyperinflation set in.
LIST OF MALAWI GOVERNORS
1968 A.G.PERRIN SIGNATURE 1
1968-1971 D.E.THOMSON SIG2
1971-84 J.Z.U.TEMBO SIG3
1984-6 L.C.CHAZIYA SIG4
1986-88 S.C.HARA SIG5
1988-92 HANS JOACHIM LESSHAFFT SIG6
1992-95 F.Z.PELEKAMOYO SIG7
1995-2000 DR.M.A.P.CHIKAONDA SIG8
2000-2005 DR.E.E.NGALANDE SIG9
CURRENT V.MBEWE SIG10
MALAWI KWACHA EXCHANGE RATE TO THE DOLLAR
| 1964 | 2 Kwacha = 1 Pound Sterling = $1.40 |
| 1971 | 1 Kwacha = $0.714 |
| 2000 | 44 Kwacha = $1 |
| 2005 | 108 Kwacha = $1 |
| 2006 | 141 Kwacha = $1 |
| 2009 | 552 Kwacha = $1 |
| 2016 | 757 Kwacha = $1 |
The Kwacha has been the currency since 1971. Kwacha derives from the Zambian Bembe word for “dawn,” Tambala (100 Tambala equals one Kwacha) means “cockerel” in Nyanja.
The portraits on post independent African banknotes reflect the turbulent history of African countries, many rulers not surviving for any length of time. Banda is an exception in that his rule extended for 30 years. Malawi banknotes provide both DATE and SIGNATURE collecting opportunities.
Malawi is listed by DATE in the catalog World Paper Money published by Krause. Many countries are listed by signature rather than date which tends to be confusing, especially where a country like Malawi has both date and signature varieties.
