During the Uganda general election, the internet was cut off, and the offline communication app Bitchat topped the local app download list Odaily Planet Daily News With the Ugandan government cutting off national Internet access during the presidential election, Bitchat, an encrypted communication application, has become one of the most downloaded applications in the country. The Uganda Communications Commission has confirmed that the internet disconnection measures have taken effect at 6pm local time on Tuesday and will continue to be implemented during the election period. It is reported that Bitchat relies on Bluetooth Mesh network to achieve encrypted communication without the Internet. At present, it has topped the download list of Apple App Store and Google Play in Uganda. At the same time, multiple VPN applications also ranked among the top downloads, indicating a significant increase in the demand for information acquisition among local residents before the election. The Ugandan government stated that the internet shutdown is aimed at preventing the spread of false information during the election period, but opponents believe that this move may limit the flow of election related information. The Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission had previously stated that there would be no internet disconnection, but ultimately implemented the relevant measures. According to reports, as of early January, over 400000 users in Uganda have downloaded Bitchat. This is the third consecutive time that Uganda has implemented nationwide internet disconnection during the presidential election period. Similar practices have appeared during the 2016 and 2021 elections. The report also mentioned that Bitchat has been widely used in many countries in recent years under the situation of limited Internet or sudden disasters, and has gradually become an alternative communication tool in the offline environment.