In Uganda, where the government has blocked the internet, the P2P chat app 'bitchat' and VPN apps are extremely popular.



Bitchat, an app that allows users to chat over Bluetooth without needing an internet connection, has become the most downloaded app in Uganda. With the Ugandan presidential election looming, incumbent President Museveni, seeking a seventh term, has shut down the internet in the country, making P2P chat apps and VPN apps popular.



Bitchat Downloads Spike in Uganda as Government Prepares Internet Shutdown for Election
https://cryptonews.com/news/bitchat-downloads-spike-in-uganda-as-government-prepares-internet-shutdown-for-election/

Uganda votes under internet blackout and police crackdown - RFI
https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260115-uganda-votes-under-internet-blackout-and-police-crackdown

Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been in power since 1986 and is running for a seventh term in the presidential election to be held in January 2026. However, ahead of the election, internet access in Uganda has been cut off.

The government stated that the reason for the internet shutdown was to 'prevent the spread of misinformation and incitement to violence.' The Uganda Communications Commission's restrictions apply to all 'internet access technologies,' including fiber optic, mobile, and satellite internet services, and violations could result in fines or the revocation of business licenses. However, only authorized personnel for certain essential public services have access to the internet via a whitelist.

According to NetBlocks, which monitors internet traffic, the shutdown began in the afternoon of January 13, 2026. Since it only blocks internet access, voice calls and SMS remain available.



In this situation, Bitchat, a Bluetooth-based P2P chat app that does not require a central server or internet connection, is gaining popularity. Bitchat is created by Jack Dorsey, known as the co-founder of Twitter, and has been in beta testing since July 2025.

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey is developing a Bluetooth P2P chat app called 'bitchat,' which allows communication without creating an account and without connecting to Wi-Fi or a mobile network.



According to rankings by AppFigures, which handles data on smartphone apps, Bitchat peaked at number one on both Google Play and the App Store in Uganda.

At the time of publication, it is still ranked number one on Google Play.

Top Apps & Games for Android on Google Play in Uganda · Appfigures

https://appfigures.com/top-apps/google-play/uganda/top-overall



In the App Store, it was overtaken by 'AM TUNNEL LITE' and dropped to second place.

Top Apps & Games for iPhone on the iOS App Store in Uganda · Appfigures

https://appfigures.com/top-apps/ios-app-store/uganda/iphone/top-overall



In each ranking, VPN apps and chat apps such as 'AM TUNNEL LITE,' 'No Internet Chat: Chat with BT,' 'VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy,' 'Thunder VPN: VPN Fast & Secure,' and 'Proton VPN: Fast & Secure' ranked highly, indicating that Ugandans are looking for ways to communicate.

However, in Iran, where communications are so severely blocked that the smuggled Starlink antennas are the only faint light , anti-government protests that have been ongoing since the end of 2025 have reportedly claimed the lives of more than 12,000 people in about three weeks. Meanwhile, in Uganda, despite widespread corruption under a long-term dictatorship, President Museveni has many supporters who have weathered the turbulent period since independence and achieved economic growth, and no major protests have occurred.

However, journalists attempting to cover Museveni's political rallies have been pepper-sprayed and blocked by security personnel, and Human Rights Watch has accused the government of suspending the activities of 10 NGOs, including election monitoring groups, with opposition politicians saying they are 'facing repression.'

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in Software, Posted by logc_nt