Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland to 31 December 1963. This flag flew alongside the Union Jack for the duration of the existence of the Federation. Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland The Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was a modified British Blue Ensign. Centred in the fly of the flag was a depiction of the shield from the Federation's Coat of Arms. The rising sun is taken from the Arms of Nyasaland (now Malawi), the lion rampant is taken from the Arms of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and the black and white wavy lines is taken from the Arms of
Nyasaland Emergency, while at the same time conceding that the declaration of a State of Emergency was "justified in any event". The Commission also declared that Banda had no knowledge of the inflammatory talk of some Congress activists about attacking Europeans. On 3 March 1959 Sir Robert Armitage, as governor of Nyasaland, declared a State of Emergency over the whole of the protectorate and, in a police and military undertaking which it called Operation Sunrise arrested Dr. Hastings Banda its president and other members of its executive committee, as well as over a hundred local party officials. The Nyasaland African Congress