[Bitchat Tops App Charts in Uganda Amid Internet Shutdown by Authorities] According to Cointelegraph, Ugandan government officials have confirmed that internet access has been cut off and will remain unavailable during the presidential election that began on Thursday. Against this backdrop, Bitchat has become the most downloaded app in Uganda. This marks the third consecutive time Ugandan authorities have shut down the internet during elections, with officials stating that the move is a necessary measure to curb the spread of online misinformation. Bitchat is an encrypted messaging app that operates without the internet, using a Bluetooth-based mesh network. It currently ranks at the top of the app charts in Uganda's Apple App Store and Google Play Store. As of January 5, more than 400,000 Ugandans had downloaded the app, and this number is likely much higher now.