Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has been successfully operated on in the United States, the president's office announced on Monday.

An official a statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication said the Head of State underwent prostate surgery at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He had left the country on Thursday evening for the US for what his handlers said was a medical check-up. The operation by specialist doctors was carried out on Saturday and lasted one and a half hours. State House said medical experts who had checked on the President recommended surgery.

“The operation took about one hour and a half…..it has been a successful surgery. The President is doing well though he is still in the ward under close supervision of doctors for further observation,” the statement noted.

The communiqué pledged that Tanzanians will be given proper updates with regard to the health of their leader.