Bitchat ranks first in Uganda app charts! The election disconnection was useless; 400,000 people rely on Bluetooth to resist censorship.

The Ugandan government cut off internet access during the Thursday elections, with Bitchat topping the charts with over 400,000 downloads. This marks the third consecutive election where internet was shut down, with officials claiming that reducing misinformation is actually a form of suppression. Bitchat utilizes Bluetooth mesh networks that do not require internet access; officials have claimed they can shut it down but have not taken action. In September, 50,000 people in Nepal used it to circumvent bans, and in November, during a hurricane in Jamaica, it became a critical tool.

How Bitchat’s Bluetooth Mesh Network Backs Anti-Censorship

(Source: Appfigures)

Bitchat is an encrypted communication app that operates without internet, leveraging Bluetooth mesh networks. It is currently ranked highly in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Uganda. Other popular apps include VPNs, highlighting that access to information remains one of Uganda’s most urgent needs as the Thursday vote approaches.

How does Bluetooth mesh networking work in environments without internet? Traditional communication relies on network infrastructure: mobile signals or WiFi connect to carrier servers, which then relay messages to recipients. When governments cut these infrastructures, communication is interrupted. But Bluetooth mesh networks use a completely different architecture: each phone with Bitchat installed becomes a network node, passing messages via Bluetooth from node to node without a centralized server.

The specific process is as follows: User A sends a message to User C, but they are beyond Bluetooth range. The message first reaches User B’s phone within range, then B forwards it to C. If B cannot reach C directly, the message continues hopping to D, E, F, until it reaches the destination. This multi-hop mechanism allows messages to be transmitted even when users are kilometers apart, as long as there are enough Bitchat users in between.

Three Key Anti-Censorship Features of Bitchat

Decentralized Transmission: No reliance on network infrastructure; impossible for governments to cut from the source

End-to-End Encryption: Messages are encrypted during transmission; relay nodes cannot read content

Automatic Routing: Smartly finds the shortest path; more users mean broader coverage

Last week, Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of Uganda’s Communications Commission, stated that they would not shut down the network. “Since there is a network, why use Bitchat? The network has always been there; just use the network,” he said last week. He also claimed his team has the ability to shut down Bitchat. However, after the network was cut at 6 pm local time on Tuesday, Thembo did not take action to disable Bitchat. This “say they can shut it down but don’t” attitude may reflect two possibilities: either technically impossible to shut down, or politically too risky to do so.

Data shared by Calle on January 5 shows that over 400,000 Ugandans downloaded the app, and that number is likely much higher now. When the network is cut, Bitchat becomes the only available communication tool, leading to a surge in downloads. This anti-censorship app’s explosive growth during crises demonstrates its value proposition: when centralized infrastructure is shut down, decentralized solutions become irreplaceable.

The Political Logic of Three Network Cuts and Bitchat’s Global Expansion

Uganda has cut the internet three times. During the 2016 elections, long-time President Yoweri Museveni, citing security concerns, blocked internet and social media nationwide. Similar incidents occurred in 2021, with a four-day internet shutdown on election night. This repeated pattern shows that authorities view network control as a key tool to maintain power.

Why are authoritarian regimes so fearful of the internet? The answer lies in the threat that information flow poses to their power. When election fraud, violent repression, corruption scandals, and other information can be transmitted instantly, public resistance is stimulated, and international pressure mounts. Cutting the network prevents domestic coordination, and the international community cannot access the truth, allowing regimes to act with impunity in a vacuum of information.

However, the emergence of Bitchat disrupts this logic. Even if the internet is cut, as long as enough users have downloaded the app, Bluetooth mesh networks can establish a parallel communication system. Governments cannot technically disable Bluetooth because doing so would disable all Bluetooth devices—including wireless earbuds, keyboards, speakers, etc.—causing public outrage far beyond tolerable levels.

Bitchat has users worldwide. Since then, it has become an important solution in countries experiencing internet shutdowns—whether due to government intervention or natural disasters. In September, nearly 50,000 users in Nepal turned to the app to bypass temporary social media bans amid anti-corruption protests. About three weeks later, similar situations arose in Madagascar.

In November, Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean, and many Jamaicans turned to this app. The hurricane, with winds reaching 185 mph, destroyed conventional communication channels. These cases demonstrate that Bitchat’s value extends beyond political protests—being equally vital during natural disasters and emergencies.

Bitchat’s global expansion reveals a trend: more and more countries face internet censorship or infrastructure fragility. From Uganda to Nepal, Madagascar, and Jamaica, Bitchat’s user map is almost entirely composed of “high-risk countries” or “disaster-prone regions.” This usage pattern is both its strength and a challenge for commercialization—how to sustain a business model while serving vulnerable populations?