Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata

Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata
Minister for Public Enterprises
In office 2 February 2013 – 30 December 2014
Prime Minister	Lord Tuʻivakano
Preceded by	Clive Edwards
Succeeded by	Poasi Tei
Minister for Revenue
In office 1 May 2012 – 2 February 2013
Prime Minister	Lord Tuʻivakano
Preceded by	Sunia Fili
Succeeded by	Sifa Tuʻutafaiva
Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports
In office 4 January 2011 – 1 May 2012
Prime Minister	Lord Tuʻivakano
Preceded by	Lord Tuʻivakano
Succeeded by	Lord Vaea
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office 30 December 2014 – 16 September 2016
Prime Minister	ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Succeeded by	Penisimani Fifita
Member of Parliament for Niua 17
In office 25 November 2010 – 16 November 2017
Preceded by	Sione ʻIloa
Succeeded by	Vatau Hui
Majority	19.0%
Personal details
Born	(1969-02-13) 13 February 1969
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (until after the 2010 elections)

Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata (born 13 February 1969) is a Tongan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He is a former member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

He holds a Master of Science degree in Physics from the University of Queensland, and also has an IRB Level 2 Rugby Coaching Certificate; he lists coaching rugby as one of his hobbies. He "taught at Tonga High School for many years", then worked as a civil servant, holding the positions of radio licensing officer and outer islands project manager, then communications engineer, at the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Vakata was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the first time when he won the seat of Ongo Niua 17 in the November 2010 general election as a candidate for the Democratic Party, defeating incumbent independent MP Sione ʻIloa. On 8 December 2010 it was reported that he had withdrawn his support from the Democratic party and become an independent, and would support a noble candidate as Prime Minister.

At the start of January 2011, when newly elected Prime Minister Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō formed his Cabinet, Vakata was appointed Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports. On 1 May 2012, he reshuffled to the position of Minister for Revenue.

In July 2012, Vakata was accused of mis-using government funds allocated to him for expenses during a trip to Australia which was later cancelled. He denied the allegations, but repaid the money.

In February 2013, he was reshuffled to the position of Minister of Public Enterprises.

Following the 2014 Tongan general election he was appointed to the Cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva as Minister of Internal Affairs, Women, and Sport. In September 2016 he was dismissed from his Ministerial positions after throwing a wine glass at a senior civil servant.

He was not re-elected at the 2017 election.