Presidential Council member Rashad Al-Alimi's decision to reinstate Amin Al-Akeimi as governor of Al-Jawf and its military axis commander has ignited significant political and media backlash. The move raises serious questions about the criteria for selecting leadership and accountability for the loss of the province, including its capital city, Al-Hazm, to Houthi forces.
The Republican decree, issued Sunday, appointed Major General Amin Ali Al-Akeimi to these positions, concurrently with the appointment of Major General Hussein Al-Aji Ali Al-Awadhi as governor of Al-Bayda. This marks Al-Akeimi's return to posts he held before his dismissal in October 2022, bringing his past military and political stewardship of Al-Jawf back under scrutiny.
Activists and politicians have characterized Al-Akeimi's reappointment as a regression to failed strategies, particularly given that Al-Jawf saw the fall of Al-Hazm to the Houthis in March 2020 during his tenure. The withdrawal of government forces, then under his command, was widely described as a betrayal and a handover to Houthi militias.
Dr. Yasser Al-Yaf'i stated that reappointing "failed tools" inevitably leads to repeated failures, questioning the rationale behind recycling leaders instead of reviewing their performance and holding them accountable. Faiz Al-Yazidi echoed this sentiment, noting that Al-Akeimi led the province and its axis from 2016 until the loss of its capital, viewing the reappointment as a deliberate persistence with leadership associated with field failures.
Criticism also extended to the broader appointment process within the legitimate government, with activists suggesting that presidential decisions perpetuate the same leadership without clear criteria for competence, achievement, or accountability. Alawi Al-Duwail mockingly recalled a statement attributed to Al-Akeimi referring to the war as a "livelihood from God," implying a flawed approach to military and political responsibility. Mahmod Al-Yazidi drew a parallel between the treatment of leaders who lost strategic areas and those who participated in liberating others, deeming this disparity a source of public discontent and a further erosion of trust in political leadership.
Political writer and analyst Fadhl Al-Aisai directly implicated the Houthi-aligned Islah party, accusing it of influencing appointment decisions within the legitimate institutions. He alleged the party seeks to expand its influence in political and military positions, using state institutions as a facade for its party interests at the expense of building unified national institutions. These criticisms highlight a growing debate over the influence of political factions in the decision-making processes of the Presidential Leadership Council and the extent to which appointments are influenced by quotas and party balances.
Al-Akeimi's return, alongside Al-Awadhi's appointment in Al-Bayda, prompts further questions about the criteria underpinning the Presidency's selection of governors and military leaders in two provinces facing significant field challenges. While Al-Jawf requires leadership capable of reclaiming Houthi-controlled areas and rebuilding its institutions, critics argue that restoring confidence begins not with recycling familiar faces, but with a thorough review of past failures, transparent accountability assessments, and linking public and military positions to principles of meritocracy and accountability.
