By Nicholas Akasula
Growing up between Kenya and Uganda
It is difficult to believe that Mabel Nansubuga is approaching 50 until she says it herself. The actress, best known for her role in the Ugandan television drama Crossroads on Pearl Magic Prime, carries herself with remarkable energy and confidence.
Behind the smile, however, is the story of a woman who has spent years balancing motherhood, business, and acting while raising children largely on her own.
Nansubuga grew up partly in Kenya after her mother separated from her father.
“My mother had me when she was only 19,” she recalls. “After I turned one, she went back to school and later got an opportunity to study in Nairobi, where she met my stepfather.”
She later returned to Uganda while in Primary Seven after the government encouraged Ugandans living in exile to return home.
Passion for beauty and creativity
From an early age, Nansubuga loved beautiful spaces and creativity. She remembers being fascinated by hotel lounges, restaurants, and interior décor.
“I would walk into a place and immediately admire the colours and arrangement,” she says with a laugh and adds: “I have always loved transforming spaces into something beautiful.”
That passion would later shape her business journey.
Motherhood and difficult choices
Nansubuga became a mother at a young age. At the time, the father of her first child had already applied to relocate to the United Kingdom. Although he promised to support her and the child financially, he admitted he was not ready for marriage.
“He told me he would always take care of us, but commitment was not really his thing. To his credit, he has remained supportive over the years,” she says.
Later, she married another man, a former schoolmate of her brother. The couple had a church wedding shortly after the birth of their son. However, life became difficult after her husband travelled to Botswana for work and failed to succeed there.
“He came back exhausted and defeated, but also relieved to be home,” she recalls.
At the time, Nansubuga was caring for their premature baby and had to remain at home. To support the family, she started making snacks and supplying offices around Kampala, including workers at Umeme and the Uganda Revenue Authority.
Building coloured spaces
What began as a small snack business later grew into an interior décor venture called Coloured Spaces.
“I started with throw cushions, then curtains and furniture,” she says. Someone would give me an empty room and tell me their preferred colours, then I would create something out of it,” she says.
Her marriage, however, later broke down after repeated misunderstandings and long periods when her husband would disappear without explanation.
Despite the emotional and financial pressure, she continued building her business while raising her children as a single mother.
Finding her way into acting
Acting entered her life unexpectedly. During a maternity photoshoot, photographer Maurice Mugisha noticed her confidence and suggested she try television acting.
Though her first acting opportunity never materialised, she later auditioned at Bat Valley Theatre and secured a role in The Honourables.
But motherhood once again forced her to step back.
“They used to film late at night and I could not leave my children alone. One of my sons had health complications, so I chose to focus on raising my children,” she explains.
Years later, another opportunity came through a friend, leading to roles in Prestige and later Crossroads, where she now plays a major character.
The reality of single motherhood
Despite her progress in acting and business, Nansubuga admits single motherhood has not been easy. Financial struggles, raising children alone, and balancing work continue to challenge her.
“Sometimes the fathers help where they can, but most of the responsibility remains with me. Still, you keep going because your children depend on you,” she says.
Today, she hopes to combine her love for acting and décor through set design for film and television productions.
For Nansubuga, survival has been about resilience, creativity, and refusing to give up even when life became difficult.
