Key Insights
- Bitchat Uganda election coverage grows as Bobi Wine threatens to disconnect the internet.
- Uganda has banned the internet during the previous elections in 2016 and 2021.
- The statistics of search and downloads all suggest that the interest in Bitchat is growing in Uganda.
Bitchat Adoption Urged by Bobi Wine Ahead of Uganda’s 2026 Election
Bitchat has become a focal point of political discussion in Uganda after opposition leader Bobi Wine urged supporters to adopt the decentralized messaging application ahead of the country’s next presidential election.
In a public warning issued this week, Wine stated that Ugandans should prepare for the possibility of internet and social media disruptions during the January 15, 2026, vote, citing past election-related shutdowns and recent signals from authorities.
His remarks have placed renewed attention on alternative communication tools and the role they may play during periods of restricted connectivity.
In a post shared on X this week, Wine encouraged Ugandans to download Bitchat, a peer-to-peer messaging service launched by Jack Dorsey. He said the platform could help citizens maintain communication if conventional digital channels are disrupted during the election period.
Wine argued that authorities are planning similar measures to those imposed during earlier elections, when access to the internet and social media platforms was restricted nationwide.
Bitchat and Uganda’s Election Timeline
Bitchat entered beta testing in July and is designed to operate independently of traditional internet infrastructure. The software utilizes mesh Bluetooth technology to exchange encrypted messages among devices within phone range.
https://twitter.com/HEBobiwine/status/2006048624224985156
According to its technical documentation, the system is not based on central servers and does not require users to leave phone numbers, email addresses, or to create formal accounts. Such characteristics have made Bitchat a tool that can be used when the internet goes down or the broadband connection is offline.
Previous Internet Bans and Political Intervention
Uganda has also introduced national-level internet and social media bans in the past during the elections. In the 2016 general elections, President Yoweri Museveni declared a countrywide shutdown using the pretext of security and safety concerns.
Moreover, the same happened with the 2021 election, which the Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network reported.
According to the organization, these measures disproportionately affected opposition parties, which extensively used digital sources to plan campaigns, monitor voting results, and find supporters.
Wine has claimed that internet shutdowns eliminate the chances of citizens communicating, questioning election outcomes, and planning their response.
The Ugandan government has consistently denied allegations of election manipulation and insisted that all necessary measures are in place to maintain social order.
Government Signals and Connectivity Concerns
Recent reporting has added to the debate over digital access. Reuters reported last week on a government memo indicating plans to restrict the importation of satellite internet equipment linked to Elon Musk’s Star link service.
The equipment provides high-speed internet in areas that previously lacked reliable connectivity, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
According to Reuters, the memo outlined measures that would limit access to this alternative form of internet service. However, officials have not publicly detailed the scope or timing of the restrictions.
The report has raised questions about future connectivity options during the election period, especially if existing networks face disruptions.
Action Statistics reveal an Increasing Interest in Bitchat
The information offered by Google Trends indicates that in a single day in Uganda, the number of searches for the term Bitchat made by people increased from 0 to 100.
Related searches like Bitchat apk download or how to use Bitchat are also top five related searches and are also denoted as a breakout topic, which implies a huge influx of activity.
The same effect is reported in download statistics. According to Chrome-Stats, since its launch, Bitchat has been downloaded 936,104 times. Out of that number, it had over 4,252 downloads within the previous day and over 32,524 within the previous week.
The numbers indicate a surge in the past few days, as the topic of election preparedness and access to communication has been discussed by the population.
Bitchat Adoption in foreign countries
Uganda is not the first country to have seen the height of Bitchat adoption during political tension. Already, a spike in downloads has been observed during the unrest in Madagascar, Nepal, and Indonesia.
In September, downloads of Bitchat increased significantly in Madagascar during protests. The available download data provides similar upticks in Nepal and Indonesia at the same time.
These trends have been associated with the use of Bitchat during periods of uncertainty in traditional communication channels. Although the application does not substitute a full internet connection, its design enables the sharing of limited messages between neighbouring devices in situations where normal networks are unavailable.
