During the Ugandan elections, internet outages led to the offline communication app Bitchat topping the local app download charts

As the Ugandan government cut off nationwide internet access during the presidential elections, the encrypted communication app Bitchat became one of the most downloaded apps locally. The Uganda Communications Commission confirmed that the internet shutdown took effect at 6 PM local time on Tuesday and will continue throughout the election period.

Reports indicate that Bitchat relies on Bluetooth Mesh networks to enable encrypted communication without the internet, and it has simultaneously topped the download charts on both the Apple App Store and Google Play in Uganda. Meanwhile, several VPN apps also ranked high in downloads, indicating a significant increase in local demand for information access ahead of the elections.

The Ugandan government stated that the internet shutdown aims to prevent the spread of false information during the elections, but opponents argue that this move could restrict the flow of election-related information. The executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission had previously stated that there would be no internet shutdown, but ultimately, the measures were implemented. As of early January, it has been disclosed that over 400,000 users in Uganda have downloaded Bitchat.

This marks the third consecutive time Uganda has implemented a nationwide internet shutdown during presidential elections. Similar actions occurred during the elections in 2016 and 2021. Reports also mention that Bitchat has been widely used in various countries under conditions of internet restrictions or sudden disasters in recent years, gradually becoming an alternative communication tool in offline environments.