**Exhibit 31.1**

 

**CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002**

 

I, Sheldon Nelson,certify that:

 
| 1.     |   | I  have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-KSB of MDU Communications  International, Inc.;                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
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| 2.     |   | Based  on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of  a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the  statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual  report; |
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| 3.     |   | Based  on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information  included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the  financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant  as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;                     |
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| 4.     |   | I  am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and  procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15e) for  the registrant and have:                                                                                                                                              |
|   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|   |   | (a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Designed  such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls  and procedures to be designed under my supervision, to ensure that material  information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated  subsidiaries, is made known to me by others within those entities,  particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared; |
|   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |   |
|   |   | (b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Evaluated  the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and  presented in this annual report my conclusions about the effectiveness of the  disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by  this report based on such evaluation; and |
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|   |   | (c)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Disclosed  in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter  that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,  the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
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| 5.     |   | I  have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over  financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of  registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent  functions):                                                                    |
|   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|   |   | (a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | All  significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation  of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to  adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and  report financial information and |
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|   |   | (b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Any  fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees  who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls over  financial reporting. |

 

 
| Date:  December  23, 2003 | /s/  Sheldon Nelson                    |   |
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------|
|                                | Sheldon  Nelson                        |
|                                | President  and Chief Executive Officer |

 

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