Mozambique Administrative Tribunal reports abuse in public procurement

The Administrative Tribunal (TA) of Mozambique has reported a persistent lack of transparency and the abusive use of direct adjustment in public procurement processes. During the first half of 2026, the tribunal reviewed approximately 28,000 files for prior oversight, resulting in the refusal of visas or annotations for about 8,000 cases, representing 26 percent of the total analyzed.

Spokesperson and counselor judge Arquimedes Joaquim Varrimelo identified several major irregularities. A primary concern is the absence of legally required guarantees from contractors, which prevents the state from holding parties financially or legally accountable in the event of contract failure. Additionally, the tribunal noted instances where companies were hired for services that were incompatible with their official business licenses.

The tribunal emphasized that direct adjustment should be a legal exception rather than the rule, criticizing the improper use of the ‘urgent service convenience’ mechanism to bypass oversight. These compliance failures have already led to the opening of accountability proceedings against various public managers.