Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema has begun his second term promising to move the country from economic stabilisation to economic transformation under an ambitious programme he calls the Grow Zambia Agenda. But the new administration also begins its term amid a contentious political climate.

Opposition figures and Zambians protesting outside the United Nations in New York have challenged the credibility of last month's election and accused the government of restricting democratic space. The European Union's election observers did not dispute the declared result, but raised serious concerns about aspects of the electoral process - including an uneven campaign environment and irregularities during the counting and tabulation of results which they said affected transparency and credibility.

There has also been criticism over the arrest of opposition figures and the government's decision to cancel the passports of several prominent critics on national security grounds. The Zambian government rejects accusations that the country's democracy is being undermined and says its focus in President Hichilema's second term is now on delivering economic growth and opportunity.

Responding to these issues Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mulambo Haimbe spoke to me from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. I began by asking him what his government's response was to accusations that the recent elections were stolen.