JAMES KAMBEWA

THWONDE 2009-04-05 This is the first, exclusive, picture of Mercy's father, after he was tracked down yesterday and said he was looking forward to being part of her life. He is James Kambewa, 24, who fled in disgrace after Mercy's mother Mwandida, who was a 15-year-old schoolgirl at the time, fell pregnant. Mwandida died eight days after giving birth. James has never been seen in the family's home village of Thwonde in southern Malawi since the outcry and until yesterday he had no idea that a wealthy pop star was planning to adopt Mercy, whom he has never seen. James, who has a casual job as a night watchman, 'I am longing to hear more about Mercy. I was never allowed to see her and now I am determined to make up for that. 'Her family was very angry with me when Mwandida became pregnant. My own relatives advised me to leave town. It was a big scandal ? both of us were in disgrace. 'Now I hear that my little girl will be famous, and best of all I can form some bond with her at last.' James, who lives in a one-room hut with two male friends in a poor area of the nearby city, added: 'I need to think about what all this means. I need to try and make sense of it.' Photo Shows: So Happy: Mercy's father James Kambewa, pictured for the first time yesterday Foto Richard Van Ryneveld / Solo / SCANPIX / Kod 20286 ref: *** BETALBILD ***