I have very limited knowledge but the explanation I got was the military is not secular enough and the average soldier is influenced by either old Catholic homophobia or newer Salafist homophobia, and the latter is used as a recruitment technique to pull soldiers to the Salafist militias who are the biggest threat to the current governments. The theory apparently is that making 'deviant' sexual behaviour illegal on paper means the propaganda cudgel is taken away from the militias but thje government never has to enforce it meaningfully when they decide to be allies- that last part seemed like cope on the person I was talking to's part

Probably just trying to win over the conservative catholic and sunni groups

Who are they trying to please with this ? ... I'm trying to understand what actual purpose this even has.

The Justice Minister, Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, defended the law as a measure to protect “cultural values,” warning that those who engage in what he described as “bizarre behaviour” would face legal consequences. To him, the law is less about criminal justice and more about safeguarding what he calls the moral fabric of society. For many within the ruling establishment, this step is about planting their flag firmly in the ground. An assertion of sovereignty in a global climate where local values and international rights discourse often collide.. The purpose is to crack down on unnatural behaviour that is incompatible with traditional society. There's also the sovereignity angle of resisting un-African liberal ideas.

What's the lawmaking process?

Parliament has passed it, now it needs the leader's signature: https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/africa/Burkina-Faso-s-parliament-votes-to-outlaw-homosexual-acts-1998964

I was under the impression the government currently mostly does whatever it wants so I'm trying to understand what actual purpose this even has

gonna go ahead and assume it's because they're homophobic and they like homophobic policy.

The groups being recruited by ISIS/AQ.