A debate meant to give Kenyans an opportunity to assess the suitability of presidential candidates ended in an anti-climax when only four of the eight contenders turned up, with President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Jubilee Party candidate, the notable absentee.

However, the nearly 10 million Kenyans who tuned in for the debates got some pointers from the four candidates led by opposition National Super Alliance flagbearer Raila Odinga on the problems facing the nation and how they would tackle them.

The EastAfrican’s Peter Munaita looks at the 10 issues that have dominated the election campaign but fears that they may not be the deciding factor on who wins on August 8.

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1. COST OF LIVING: Why are prices of unga (maize flour) and sugar out of reach?

2. FOOD SECURITY: Where will the next meal come from?

3. UNEMPLOYMENT: Where will 12 million jobs come from?

4. CORRUPTION: Who steals $3 billion from the public purse each year?

5. THE ECONOMY: Why is the growth not trickling down to the masses?

6. LAND: How will historical injustices be corrected?

7. SECURITY: Is engagement in Somalia compromising internal security?

8. CONSTITUTION: Has devolution lived up to expectations?

9. SOVEREIGNTY: Is The Hague, international community meddlesome?

10. PUBLIC SERVICES: How free is free education, health?

After a painful dalliance with World Bank policies that introduced cost sharing in education, health and agriculture, Kenya has since 2003 made significant steps towards being a welfare state. Free primary education quickly gave way to subsidised secondary education in public institutions with disputed success rates.

Nasa has said it will implement free secondary education within three weeks after the election but Jubilee says this is only possible from January next year. The government already gives stipends to the elderly and orphans which it promises to enhance if it wins a second term through cash payments for those aged more than 70 years.

It promises to give one year health insurance for new mothers and newborns, adding to the free maternity started in 2013. In practice, this means personnel, facilities and most diagnostics are free but parents and patients have to pay for medication and other services.

READ: Is Kenya edging towards welfare state?

A host of government services are now accessible online including business registration and payments including for driving licences. Care for the disadvantaged, delivery of public services through Huduma centres and last mile connections to the power grid have won global accolades, yet basic needs like water and shelter have not been given enough attention and are a constant source of attrition for households and businesses.

In the Infotrak survey, less than one per cent of those unhappy with the government attributed it to poor quality of education while five per cent of those happy with the government attributed it to improved healthcare.

In the Ipsos survey seven per cent of those happy with the government mentioned ministries and departments were performing, eight per cent said it was because of education. With Infotrak 5 per cent said their dim view of government was as a result of poverty and unequal distribution of resources.

NEXT WEEK: The 10 factors that will determine who wins the elections.