Nyombi Morris, a 26-year-old climate activist from Uganda, recently fled his home country after receiving death threats for his advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights.
Morris, who became a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community following his sister’s expulsion from school due to her sexuality, has faced intense backlash for his efforts.
His non-profit organization, Earth Volunteers, began collaborating with LGBTQ+ groups to support at-risk youth.
This partnership drew accusations that Morris was using his influence from climate justice campaigns to promote foreign ideologies related to gender and sexual rights.
As a result, he has endured a barrage of online attacks, leading many to distance themselves from him to avoid being labeled as supporters of LGBTQ+ rights.
The repercussions escalated when schools withdrew from projects with Earth Volunteers, and Morris’s family faced harassment.
Local authorities even informed his mother that Morris had been banned from their village due to his LGBTQ+ connections.
Now in Denmark, he continues advocating for human rights despite significant personal challenges.Following threats and police inquiries regarding his whereabouts, Morris sought refuge.
His activism against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which transports oil from Uganda to Tanzania, also intensified the danger he faced.
Although he initially halted his public discourse on the pipeline after facing governmental repercussions in 2022, he resumed his advocacy earlier this year following protests where activists were arrested.
The situation worsened after tabloids falsely labeled him as gay, triggering fears of arrest under Uganda’s harsh Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposes severe penalties for promoting LGBTQ+ rights.
Now residing in Denmark under asylum, Morris grapples with the challenges of living in a foreign country while awaiting a decision on his status.
Despite these obstacles, he remains determined to continue fighting for climate justice and human rights.
“I cannot go back to Uganda because politically I’m not on the same page as the government, and that puts me in danger,” he asserts, emphasizing the need for continued activism in both climate and human rights issues.