Uganda’s film industry is mourning actress and filmmaker Esteri Tebandeke, but alongside the grief, a powerful story of love and sacrifice is emerging, one that has placed her husband, Samuel Lutaata Tebandeke, at the center of national admiration.
Esteri, who died at 41 after a long battle with kidney disease, had undergone a transplant in India three years ago, with her husband serving as the donor.
As news of her passing spread, many Ugandans took to social media not only to mourn the actress but to praise the extraordinary commitment shown by her husband.
“What a powerful story of love,” journalist Alan Kasujja wrote, recalling a past encounter with the couple.
“Her husband gave her a kidney. That kind of sacrifice speaks volumes.”
Friends and colleagues described the gesture as one of the most profound acts of devotion seen in recent memory, a man giving part of himself in a bid to save the woman he loved.
Gloria Luzinda, a friend, chipped: “This is beyond love. Samuel is a hero.”
Despite the transplant, Esteri’s health remained fragile, and her body later developed complications.
Yet those close to the family say the years after the procedure were marked by hope, resilience and unwavering support from her husband.
“She was more than an artist, she was a force who told stories, built spaces, and inspired a generation,” the Producers Guild of Uganda said in a tribute, adding that her legacy would live on through the lives she touched.
Esteri’s career spanned acting and filmmaking, with appearances in Queen of Katwe and other productions, as well as a memorable role in Singa, a music project by Bobi Wine.
But as tributes continue to pour in, many say her personal story, particularly the bond she shared with her husband, has resonated just as deeply as her work on screen.
Online, some described Samuel’s act as “love in its purest form,” while others said it was a reminder of the quiet sacrifices made behind the scenes of public lives.
As one tribute simply put it: “She fought. He stood with her. And that love will not be forgotten.”
