Haddyjatou and Mariama Tambadou are among the many Gambians who were issued diplomatic passports earlier this year.

Their brother is Ba Tambadou, the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice. In June 2019, he wrote to the Secretary General at the Office of the President requesting for President Adama Barrow's approval for the issuance of diplomatic passports for five members of his family. 

In his letter, he wrote: “My mother and stepmother regularly travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj. Given their advanced age and current state of physical health, travelling on ordinary passports create immense physical and logistical challenges for them especially regarding their movements on arrival and departure from the airport."

He continued: “On each of their travels to Saudi Arabia, my mother and step-mother are assisted by my two sisters who always accompany them during their movements.

“My sisters would not be able to provide the usual assistance to my mother and step-mother if they also do not carry diplomatic passports to facilitate their movements together with them."

After one week, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) wrote to the minister informing him that his request was approved and passports would be issued to his family members including Haddyjatou and Mariama.

Both sisters are married. Haddyjatou is the wife of Ndeneh Faal, a renowned businessman who was once convicted and sentenced to jail for drug peddling.