Tanzanian content creator and cosmetics entrepreneur Niffer Jovin has been freed by the courts after treason charges were dramatically dropped, prompting President Samia Suluhu Hassan to issue a pointed reminder that Tanzania must command respect unlike its neighbours and urging young people to draw lessons from the influencer’s ordeal.
In her first public comments on the case since Niffer’s arrest in early November, the president addressed a youth forum in the capital, declaring, “Tanzania lazima iheshimiwe; sisi sio kama majirani. Vijana, jifunzeni kitu kutoka kwa Niffer. Niffer sasa yuko huru, tarehe 9 akicheza atakiona kile alichokiona mtema kuni!”
The 26-year-old Jenifer Jovin, better known online as Niffer, walked out of the Kisutu Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, her release coming just hours after the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charges under intense domestic and international pressure.
Niffer, who built a following of over 500,000 on TikTok through lifestyle vlogs and beauty tutorials promoting her Jovin Cosmetics line, had been detained since November 6 for a 20-second video where she danced to a viral sound clip subtly mocking the president’s public appearances.
What started as light-hearted content quickly escalated into a national uproar when authorities slapped her with treason under Section 39 of the Penal Code, a charge carrying the death penalty and typically reserved for plots against the state.
Niffer’s mother, Grace Isaac, had tearfully pleaded for mercy in a viral video plea aired on local TV stations last month, falling to her knees before a portrait of President Suluhu and begging forgiveness on behalf of her “innocent daughter”.
The emotional appeal, viewed millions of times, amplified calls from human rights groups like Amnesty International and the Legal and Human Rights Centre, who decried the arrest as a chilling blow to free expression in a country still healing from the repressive Magufuli era.
This week’s development marks the latest in a wave of releases, with 139 individuals charged in similar “fake treason” cases set free over the past two weeks amid mounting criticism that the government was using outdated laws to silence dissent ahead of local elections.
Niffer’s co-accused, activist Mika Chavala, was also freed in the same hearing, hugging supporters outside the court as chants of “Haki yetu!” echoed through the streets. Chavala, a vocal critic of electoral irregularities, had been held for organising online petitions against voter suppression.
In her remarks at the youth summit, President Suluhu framed Niffer’s story as a teachable moment, invoking the Swahili proverb about the woodcutter who learns from his mistakes to warn against recklessness.
The “tarehe 9” reference alludes to December 9, Tanzania’s Independence Day, when Niffer is expected to attend public festivities.
Observers interpret the president’s words as a mix of magnanimity and caution, signalling that while clemency has been granted, boundaries on satire remain firm. “We are not like our neighbours where chaos reigns without consequence,” Suluhu added, a subtle nod to recent protest crackdowns in Kenya and Uganda that have drawn global scrutiny.
Niffer, looking frail but composed in a simple black abaya, addressed waiting journalists briefly after her release. “I am not a politician; I am just a businesswoman who loves making people smile through my videos,” she said, thanking her supporters in a clip that spread rapidly on Instagram.
“Thank you for fighting for me. This ordeal taught me resilience, and I plan to rebuild my brand stronger.” Her first post-freedom update showed her sipping tea at a family gathering, captioned “Free at last, lessons learnt.”
As Niffer eyes a quiet holiday season to recover, her case spotlights the tightrope digital influencers walk in conservative societies. With her cosmetics empire paused during detention, loyal fans have pledged crowdfunding support to restock shelves. President Suluhu’s message lingers: respect for the nation comes first, but for Niffer, freedom feels like a hard-won victory laced with wisdom.