ʻUliti Uata is a Tongan

Tonga

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...

 politician. He is a member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement

Human Rights and Democracy Movement

The Human Rights and Democracy Movement is a political party in Tonga. Its leader is Uliti Uata.The HRDM was founded in the late 1970s as an informal group of Tongans interested in democratic reform. It was formalised in 1992 as the Pro-Democracy Movement, and contested several elections under...

 and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands is a political party in Tonga. The party's leader is 'Akilisi Pohiva....

.

Uata was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Legislative Assembly of Tonga

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga has 30 members, 9 members elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies via the single non-transferable vote system, 9 members elected for a three year term by the 33 hereditary nobles of Tonga, 10 members of the Privy Council and 2 governors. The...

 in 1975, and served as a People's Representative until 1980. After a break from politics, he contested the 1993 election

Tongan general election, 1993

General elections were held in Tonga on 3 and 4 February 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. Nine nobles and nine people's representatives were elected. Six of the latter favoured democratic reform. Voter turnout was 59.3%.-Results:...

 and won the seat of Ha'apai

Ha'apai

Haapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the central part of the Kingdom of Tonga, with the Tongatapu group to the south and the Vavau group to the north. Seventeen of the Haapai islands are populated....

. He has been re-elected in every subsequent election.

In 2007 Uata was one of several pro-democracy MPs charged with sedition

Sedition

In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...

 over speeches given before the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots

2006 Nuku'alofa riots

The 2006 Nukualofa riots started on 16 November, in the Tongan capital of Nukualofa. The Legislative Assembly of Tonga was due to adjourn for the year and despite promises of action, had done little to advance democracy in the government. A mixed crowd of democracy advocates took to the streets in...

. The charges were dismissed in September 2009.

Uata was re-elected for an eight term in the 2010 election

Tongan general election, 2010

Early general elections under a new electoral law were held in Tonga on 25 November 2010. They determined the composition of the 2010 Tongan Legislative Assembly....

, and nominated to the post of minister of health on 25 January 2011.