A misty Nelson Mandela and Kenyan Mike Sonko in public another Photoshop fail
A misty Nelson Mandela and Kenyan Mike Sonko - another Photoshop fail

A politican famous for refusing to take off his sunglasses has been caught out basking in the glow of Nelson Mandela via some hapless Photoshop work.

Senator in the Kenyan government Mike Sonko was widely ridiculed after an image of him apparently in a close grasp with Mandela was published in the wake of the death of the former South Africa president.

Just like almost every other politician on the planet, it seems Sonko wanted to weave himself into the anti-apartheid icon's story. This he attempted to do with some frankly sloppy Photoshopping.

The deception was spotted almost immediately by web users who then discovered that Sonko had erased from the original image another global figure - none other than Muhammed Ali , the former boxer.

One user pointed out that Sonko was not as tall as the doctored image suggested.

Sonko's attention-seeking image-tinkering mishap recalls other times that public officials have been caught out in hamfisted publicity efforts. In China, the Communist party released a doctored picture of a deputy major and three lackeys looming like giants over a tiny old woman after something went in the editing process.

Sonko lost his post as an MP in 2010 after refusing to remove his shades and jewellery in parliament but was elected as senator earlier this year.