Bitchat Downloads Spike in Uganda as Government Prepares Internet Shutdown for Election

Uganda’s government imposed a nationwide internet blackout on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s presidential election, triggering a surge in downloads of Bitchat, a decentralized messaging app that operates offline.

The Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile providers to suspend public internet access from 6 p.m. local time, citing concerns over misinformation and electoral fraud as 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni seeks his seventh term against opposition challenger Bobi Wine.

Bitchat developer Calle reported the app became Uganda’s most downloaded application as citizens prepared for the shutdown.

The peer-to-peer messenger uses Bluetooth to relay encrypted messages between nearby devices, creating mesh networks that function independently of traditional internet infrastructure and do not require phone numbers or account registration.

Internet Blackout Mirrors 2021 Election Crackdown

According to Vanguard, the Uganda Communications Commission justified the suspension as necessary to prevent “online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks” that could undermine national security during the election period.

The directive applies to all access technologies, including mobile broadband, fiber-optic services, and satellite internet, with violators facing fines and possible license suspensions.

NetBlocks confirmed “nation-scale disruption to internet connectivity” shortly after the 3 p.m. GMT implementation deadline.

Voice calls and basic SMS services remained operational, while essential state services received exemptions through secure whitelisted systems restricted to authorized personnel.

The government had repeatedly promised internet access would remain available, stating on January 5 that “claims suggesting otherwise are false, misleading, and intended to cause unnecessary fear and tension among the public.“

Uganda previously cut internet access during its 2021 election, which international observers described as marred by widespread allegations of rigging and state violence against opposition supporters.

Opposition Faces Intensified Repression Ahead of Vote

United Nations Human Rights Office reported that police and military forces used live ammunition to disperse peaceful rallies, conducted arbitrary detentions, and abducted opposition supporters in the election run-up.

Security forces detained hundreds of opposition supporters while repeatedly firing tear gas at campaign events supporting Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi.

The government on Tuesday ordered two local rights groups (Chapter Four Uganda and Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda) to immediately cease operations.

The state-run National Bureau for NGOs accused the organizations of activities “prejudicial” to Uganda’s security.

Both groups had documented alleged arbitrary detention and torture of opposition supporters and journalists covering the election campaign.

Another opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, who challenged Museveni in four previous elections, remains jailed on treason charges after being kidnapped in Kenya in 2024 and returned to Uganda for military trial.

Decentralized App Provides Communication Alternative

Bitchat entered beta testing in July and requires no accounts, phone numbers, or central infrastructure.

The app fragments messages into 500-byte chunks that hop between devices within 30 meters, with up to 7 relay points enabling transmission during connectivity blackouts.

Store-and-forward systems cache messages for offline users up to 12 hours, ensuring delivery when direct connections are unavailable.

Wine encouraged supporters to download the application during his final Monday rally, where heavy security deployment established a perimeter that deterred attendance.

Bobi Wine during the party’s final campaign rally in Kampala on Monday. | Source: NYT

Soldiers chased down and beat at least one person for waving Uganda’s national flag, a symbol of Wine’s campaign that authorities have banned.

Uganda Communications Commission executive director Nyombi Thembo warned regulators could disable Bitchat if needed, stating, “Don’t be excited by Bitchat, it’s a small thing.“

Calle rejected that assessment, citing internal data showing over 400,000 Ugandan downloads while declaring, “You can’t stop Bitchat. You can’t stop us.“

Museveni came to power in 1986 after leading a five-year rebellion and is Africa’s third-longest serving head of state. He has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits.

His campaign slogan “Protecting the Gains” contrasts sharply with Wine’s “Protest Vote” message, emphasizing generational change for Uganda’s population, where more than one in four citizens are between 18 and 30 years old.

Notably, Uganda’s adoption follows similar patterns during recent civil unrest across multiple countries.

Nepal recorded 48,781 downloads in September during youth-led protests against government corruption that left 22 dead and forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation, while Madagascar saw searches spike from zero to 100 during violent demonstrations over water and electricity shortages that prompted government curfews across the capital.