National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine has unveiled Bitchat, an application his supporters are expected to use in case the internet is shut down during the 2026 elections
On November 29, 2025, Bobi Wine urged his supporters to prepare alternative means of communication in the event of an internet shutdown.Bobi Wine made the remarks while campaigning in Masaka, one of Buganda Kingdom’s most politically influential cities.
“Find alternative ways to communicate when the internet is switched off. Prepare for how you will pass information when networks are blocked. And turn up in overwhelming numbers on January 15, 2026. That is how you fulfil your constitutional duty,” he urged supporters.
Earlier today, he unveiled Bitchat, an application his supporters are expected to use in case the internet is shut down during the 2026 elections.
“Daily reminder to download Bitchat from app stores or share the app with comrades who don’t have it yet. We shall use it for communication in case the regime disables the internet ahead of the 2026 elections,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“As we all know, they are plotting an internet shutdown in the coming days, like they have done in all previous elections. They switch off the internet in order to block communication and ensure that citizens do not organise, verify their election results and demand for accountability over the massive election theft,” Bobi Wine said.
He said Bitchat will enable you to communicate to thousands of people in record time. No internet connection is required. You will be able to send pictures of DR Forms and share any other critical information to specific or other users. No sharing of phone numbers or email address. All you need to do is switch on blue tooth and use the app.
What is Bitchat?
Bitchat is a peer-to-peer encrypted messaging application developed by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter (now X) and Block, Inc.
Announced in July 2025, Bitchat allows users to send messages via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks without requiring internet access, cellular service, user accounts, or central servers.
How does it work?
The app operates over Bluetooth mesh networks, enabling nearby devices to relay messages without internet connectivity.
Bitchat uses end-to-end encryption, employing Curve25519 key exchange and AES-GCM encryption. It also features password-protected channels and a panic mode that erases all stored data after three taps on the app’s logo.
The Bluetooth technology used by Bitchat provides an effective range of over 300 metres (980 feet). Developers plan to incorporate Wi-Fi Direct in future updates to extend coverage and improve data throughput. Dorsey has said the app resembles IRC-style messaging systems.
Dorsey first announced Bitchat on X on July 6, 2025, and published a white paper on GitHub detailing its decentralised architecture and encryption design.
The app later entered beta testing via TestFlight, quickly reaching the platform’s 10,000-user limit. However, shortly after the testing release, a security researcher discovered it was possible to impersonate another user and communicate with that user’s contacts while appearing as them.
In response, Dorsey noted on the project page that Bitchat was still a work in progress, had not undergone an external security audit, and might not yet meet its intended security goals.
Bitchat is designed to enable resilient communication when traditional networks are unavailable or compromised, such as during natural disasters or internet blackouts. It can also be used at large events like music festivals where internet connectivity is limited.
The app addresses censorship and surveillance concerns and follows in the footsteps of similar applications such as FireChat and Bridgefy, which were used by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
Bitchat saw significant adoption during protests in Madagascar in September 2025, with the company reporting about 70,000 downloads from the country within a single week, compared to approximately 360,000 total downloads worldwide by late September.
A similar trend was observed in Nepal during protests the same month, with nearly 50,000 downloads recorded from Nepalese users on September 8, 2025 alone.
