Uganda\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat a powerful story of love,\u201d journalist Alan Kasujja wrote, recalling a past encounter with the couple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHer husband gave her a kidney. That kind of sacrifice speaks volumes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gloria Luzinda, a friend, chipped: \u201cThis is beyond love. Samuel is a hero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the transplant, Esteri\u2019s health remained fragile, and her body later developed complications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet those close to the family say the years after the procedure were marked by hope, resilience and unwavering support from her husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was more than an artist, she was a force who told stories, built spaces, and inspired a generation,\u201d the Producers Guild of Uganda said in a tribute, adding that her legacy would live on through the lives she touched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Esteri\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online, some described Samuel\u2019s act as \u201clove in its purest form,\u201d while others said it was a reminder of the quiet sacrifices made behind the scenes of public lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As one tribute simply put it: \u201cShe fought. He stood with her. And that love will not be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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