Welcome to the first issue of The Africa Governance Papers, an academic, peer-review research journal published by Good Governance Africa. The theme of this first issue is “Dimensions of freedom and self-governance: Past, present, future”. This is intended to allow the inclusion of articles reflecting on broadly philosophical issues that relate to governance. The issue includes contributions on decolonialising borders in Africa; on the threated loss of community and social capital in Chilonga in Zimbabwe due to the predations of elites; on the need for ethical governance of the South African state’s intelligence structures; on the arguments involved in articulating the new institutionalism in the African context; on the transitional politics in Angola and their implications for the future; and on erstwhile dictator Robert Mugabe’s character and will to power.