During Uganda's general election, internet was cut off, and the offline communication app Bitchat topped the local app download charts.

Odaily Planet Daily News: As the Ugandan government cut off nationwide internet access during the presidential election, the encrypted communication app Bitchat became one of the most downloaded applications locally. The Uganda Communications Commission confirmed that the network shutdown measures took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday evening and will continue throughout the election period.

The report pointed out that Bitchat relies on Bluetooth Mesh networks to achieve encrypted communication without internet access. It has currently topped the download charts on both the Apple App Store and Google Play in Uganda. Meanwhile, several VPN applications also ranked among the top downloads, indicating a significant increase in the local population’s demand for information access on the eve of the election.

The Ugandan government stated that the network shutdown aims to prevent the spread of false information during the election, but opponents believe that this move may restrict the flow of election-related information. The Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission previously stated that there would be no internet shutdown, but ultimately, relevant measures were still implemented. It has been disclosed that by early January, over 400,000 users in Uganda had downloaded Bitchat.

This is the third consecutive time Uganda has implemented a nationwide internet shutdown during a presidential election. Similar measures occurred during the 2016 and 2021 elections. The report also mentioned that Bitchat has been widely used in recent years in multiple countries under internet restrictions or during sudden disasters, gradually becoming an alternative communication tool in environments with internet outages. (Cointelegraph)