Bitchat downloads spike in Uganda as voters prepare for offline elections

Bitchat usage in Uganda has surged ahead of the country’s presidential elections as locals resort to the app to bypass a nationwide internet blackout.

Bitchat downloads have soared in Uganda as locals turn to the decentralized application to stay connected using the internet-free encrypted messaging app that is powered by Bluetooth mesh networks.

According to data from Appfigures, Bitchat has become the most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Uganda, while other tools such as Virtual Private Network apps have also emerged as popular alternatives.

Elections are underway in Uganda, and this is the third time internet access has been cut off ahead of voting, even though Uganda Communications Commission executive director Nyombi Thembo said last week that connectivity wouldn’t be shut down.

At the time, Thembo also took aim at Bitchat, even warning that his team had the technical capacity to shut down the app.

“We know how it can be made not to work. Don’t be excited by Bitchat, it’s a small thing,” Thembo said.

However, a Bitchat developer going by the name Calle argued that due to the app’s decentralized nature, it would be difficult to take down.

Calle also shared internal data, which suggested that the app was downloaded over 400,000 times.

Bitchat usage in the country started picking up pace last month after opposition candidate Bobi Wine, who is going up against long-time President Yoweri Museveni, urged locals to download the app as an act of resistance against potential internet disruptions.

Bitchat has gained attention as a tool for communication during periods of political unrest ever since Jack Dorsey pushed out a beta version of the app back in July 2025.

It first came under the spotlight during mass protests in Nepal and subsequently in Madagascar. Meanwhile, it surged in popularity in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa crippled local infrastructure.