By The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has played down the significance of an offline messaging application promoted by National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, amid renewed fears of a possible internet shutdown ahead of the forthcoming elections.
In a social media post made five days ago, Bobi Wine urged Ugandans to download an application known as Bitchat, arguing that authorities were planning to switch off the internet as they have done during previous elections. He said the anticipated shutdown would be aimed at blocking communication, preventing citizens from organising, verifying election results and demanding accountability.
According to Bobi Wine, the application allows users to communicate without an internet connection by using Bluetooth technology. He claimed it enables the sharing of images, including Declaration of Results (DR) forms, and other critical information without requiring phone numbers, email addresses or mobile data.
“Download Bitchat today before the internet is switched off,” Bobi Wine said in the post, framing the app as a safeguard against communication blackouts during the electoral period.
However, while addressing journalists on Monday at the Uganda Media Centre, UCC Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo dismissed suggestions that the app could undermine state control or public order.
Nyombi said UCC is fully aware of how the application operates, noting that it uses Bluetooth technology under an unlicensed spectrum. He added that the regulator has the technical capacity to monitor and counter any misuse of such platforms.
“We know Bitchat. We know the protocol it uses. It operates on Bluetooth under an unlicensed spectrum, which we do not license, and we know how it works. We also know how it can be made not to work,” Nyombi said.
He cautioned against using digital platforms to disrupt peace, saying any attempt to commit crimes using such applications would not go undetected. Nyombi further questioned the logic of promoting Bluetooth-based communication when, according to him, the internet would remain available.
“The internet will be there. Use the internet and communicate. Why do you want to use Bluetooth?” he said, adding that UCC has extensive technical expertise, including what he described as the highest concentration of software and electrical engineers in the country.
Nyombi’s remarks come against the backdrop of Uganda’s history of internet shutdowns during election periods. In the 2016 and 2021 general elections, authorities imposed nationwide internet blackouts, citing national security concerns. The shutdowns drew sharp criticism from opposition groups, civil society organisations and international observers, who argued that they curtailed freedom of expression, access to information and electoral transparency.
During the 2021 elections, internet access was cut off for several days, severely affecting communication, business operations and independent reporting of election results. The government later defended the move as necessary to maintain public order.
UCC has not formally announced any plans to shut down the internet, while opposition figures remain sceptical, citing past precedent. As campaigning intensifies, digital space is once again emerging as a key battleground in Uganda’s electoral politics.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for more… https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6TpGqLtOjKB7S8OI3d
