Uganda is staying away from the African regional broadband infrastructure project managed by the e-Africa Commission, claiming the initiative's guidelines may prevent its national telecommunications company from investing in the project.

The e-Africa Commission, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, operates under the aegis of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad). The commission's broadband infrastructure protocol calls for the signatories to implement various network integration projects, and provides a framework for regulatory issues.

The pact, dubbed the Kigali Protocol, came into force last month after being ratified by Malawi. Malawi brought the total number of countries that have ratified the protocol to seven. But Uganda says more time for consultation with service providers in the country is needed before deciding whether to withdraw completely or join the project.

Ugandan Minister of ICT Hams Muliira said ratification of the protocol by Uganda would essentially be inviting Uganda Telecom Company to invest in the project, but the protocol does not specify whether or not the company, in fact, may invest. Uganda Telecom Company is a state-run telecom company.

"Ratification of the protocol means doors are open to interested companies to participate by expressing interest in the protocol. But the clauses of the protocol do not specify whether or not Ugandan Telecom would go in as an investor," Muliira said.

The protocol is aimed at enabling eastern and southern African governments to harmonize their national policies and regulations to facilitate the construction and operation of infrastructure. However, the Ugandan government has criticized the clause of the protocol that requires countries to harmonize their policies and has threatened to withdraw from the project if that wording is not changed.

If Uganda decides to completely withdraw from the project, the e-Africa commission can still go ahead, but countries that have not yet signed up may get discouraged, leading to the disintegration of the project.

The broadband infrastructure network (project) has been split into two networks, including UHURUNET, a submarine cable, and UMOJANET, a terrestrial cable segment. The two networks will be managed by the SPV (special purpose vehicle) BAHARICOM, a consortium made up of regional telecommunication to own, manage and maintain various projects.

The other major Nepad project is Comtel, a broadband infrastructure project managed with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). Comtel aims to link eastern and southern Africa to Europe and Asia.

The total cost of the network infrastructure projects is more than US$2 billion.