The father of an African girl Madonna hopes to adopt says he wants to take care of his daughter himself — even though he's never met her.

James Kambewa, believed to be the biological father of Chifundo "Mercy" James, said he doesn't want the pop star to adopt the 4-year-old.

"I want to take care of her, and I'm capable to take care of my baby," he told CBS' "The Early Show" in an interview to be aired tomorrow. "Mercy, she is a Malawian — so (I) need her to grow as a Malawian as well with our culture."

Madonna spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg said yesterday that she doesn't know if Kambewa is the father of the girl, who lives in an orphanage.

"All I know is that Mercy has been in an orphanage since the day she was born," Rosenberg said.

Madonna's appeal of a court ruling denying her request to adopt the girl is to be heard tomorrow in Malawi, in southeast Africa. The singer already has adopted a son, David, from there.

WINEHOUSE BLOCKS PAPARAZZI NEAR HOME

Amy Winehouse has won a court order banning the paparazzi from pursuing her outside her London home, a source close to the singer's management team said yesterday.

The singer sought the order to ban photographers if they follow her or approach her within 100 yards of her home, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not directly involved in the case. Winehouse, 25, posted the anti-harassment injunction outside her home.

MANGIONE PLAYS FOR VICTIMS' FAMILIES

Jazz musician Chuck Mangione performed Friday with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in upstate New York at a concert rescheduled after two of his band members died in a plane crash there in February. Other victims' relatives attended.

Sax player Gerard Niewood and guitarist Coleman Mellett were among 50 people killed when Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed into a house in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence on Feb. 12. They and Mangione had been scheduled to play in Buffalo the next evening.

Mangione attended a post-concert fundraising party with victims' relatives and residents of the street where the plane crashed. Proceeds will go to a memorial fund.